Koda's Journey
by Sora W.T.K
Summary: When Koda is seperated from Kenai and needs to reach the Salmon Run all by himself, an accident forces Koda to bring a cub along with him, in hopes that he could help him...
1. The beginning from death

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Chapter 1: The beginning from death**

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Koda slowly walked under the rain toward Ken'ichi, who is lying on the ground next to the lifeless body of his father, crying.

Koda stopped a few steps away from the crying Ken'ichi.  
"Ken'ichi…"

Ken'ichi didn't responded, he just kept crying away. Koda looked at Ken'ichi's father; a spear was imbedded to his side along with a slash on his back. Koda looked away from the body and looked at Ken'ichi.

"I'm sorry…"  
Koda said merely a whisper.  
"I know how you feel…"

Indeed Koda knows how Ken'ichi feels; he has lost his mother too. How much sadness and anger he felt when Kenai broke the news to him about his mother's death.

Ken'ichi stopped crying, he was in deep thought while crying, what happened that really caused his father's death? Other than the hunters…

"This is your entire fault…"  
Ken'ichi said to Koda.

"What?"  
Koda asked.

"It's your fault those monsters killed my father!"  
Ken'ichi shouted to Koda while standing up.

"You lured them to me and my father!"

With that, Ken'ichi charged to Koda. Koda gasped and ran out of the way, but Ken'ichi stopped and turned to face Koda, he was glaring at him, anger surged through his blood.

"Ken'ichi, I wasn't…"  
Koda tried to say, but he stopped mid-way.

Koda thought about what happened. When he was with Kenai, when he got separated from him, when those hunters chased him…

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What do you think?

Next chapter will say what happened before all of this, ok?

See ya next chapter!


	2. An unwanted accident

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own the list of characters in my ff profile.

This chapter will be written from Koda's perspective.

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_It's been a year since Kenai decided to become a bear forever to take care of me. And through those days Kenai learned much more about being a bear, he even learned about hibernation. Aside that, he liked being a bear, especially being with me, we bonded much more. Our love toward each other as brothers has become one; and I loved every minute of it._

_But how Kenai and I got separated? How did Ken'ichi's father died? All of this just because…_

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**Chapter 2: An unwanted accident**

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_It was another bright day in the forest. Trees were standing high as their branches filled with leafs nearly blocking the sun's rays from hitting the ground._

_Kenai, my big brother, was walking to the south, I was riding on his back, heading to the river where the salmon run happens every year, and our nights were filled with lights that touch the earth._

_This was going to be Kenai's second salmon run, and I  was excited about telling my story about the most interesting thing I had, probably about how much trouble I went through trying to teach Kenai the first thing about hibernation. Ha-ha._

"Koda…"  
_Kenai decided to start a conversation.  
_"When we reach the river, what are you planning to do other than telling your stories and eating fish?"

"Well…"  
_I started as I turned around, facing up and resting my back on Kenai._

"I'm thinking of showing my friends a couple of moves."

_I heard Kenai chuckled, He was probably expecting me to say that. What can I say?  I have gotten bigger and stronger in the past year, even if not by much._

"What are you gonna do?"  
_I asked as I turned my body again._

"Well I…"

_Kenai suddenly stopped, looked to the left and started sniffing the air. I got worried when I saw what Kenai was doing and jumped off of him._

"What's wrong?"  
_I asked._

_Kenai continued sniffing.  
_"I think I smell…"

_I began smelling until I heard some footsteps, Kenai and I turned around to see a shadow running behind a tree. _

_Kenai sniffed again and said to me:  
_"Run."

_Kenai and I quickly ran, but a hunter jumped in front of us, pointing his spear at us. We turned and ran to the other way but got blocked by two more hunters. Kenai picked me up with his mouth and ran to the other way, managing to escape._

_But the three hunters followed, Kenai ran between two trees, hoping that would slow them down, but it didn't. He kept running and made a sharp turn into a narrow path between two mountains, making the hunters almost lose us._

_This got Kenai a good lead, but it wouldn't last for long. He looked each direction, trying to find a good place where he can hide from the hunters. I also looked around, trying to find a place to hide also. Kenai stopped at the sight of an eagle, staring at us._

_I looked at Kenai; he was staring at the eagle in awe. I looked at the eagle again and quickly realized who it was. It was the same eagle that I saw at the mountain a year ago._

_I saw the eagle flying to a direction. Kenai followed it to a mountain, with the hunters following behind._

"Where are you going?!"  
_I asked._

_Kenai didn't answer me; he kept running higher into the mountain. Snow was falling on the mountain, giving the hunters a hard time to follow. Kenai looked back and I sighed in relief, but Kenai wasn't looking forward ran straight into a frozen lake. He lost his balance and slipped, sending me flying from his mouth and land hard on the ice._

"Ow…"  
_I said as I rubbed his butt.  
_"You ok?"

"Yea, I'm alright."  
_He told me as he tried to get up on his feet._

_I looked back and gasped when I saw the hunters gaining. Kenai managed to reach me but only because of him slipping on the ice._

"Kenai, the hunters!"  
_I pointed out._

_Kenai turned his head and gasped; the hunters had already climbed up the mountain and are getting closer. Kenai and I managed to get off the ice, but a hunter threw their spear and landed next to Kenai. Kenai picked me up again and started running, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he reached the edge of a cliff._

"Oh no, Kenai!"  
_I cried.  
_"What are we gonna do?"

_Kenai turned around but we were cornered by the hunters. He stepped back but he was already at the edge of the cliff, one more step and we're done for._

"I dunno…"  
_Kenai said in defeat.  
_"Unless…"

_Kenai released me and gave his meanest glare to the hunters and gave his loudest roar. The hunters flinched, but they gripped on their spears and walked closer to us. Kenai gave one more roar, but this time the hunters didn't flinch. I was totally scared, it looked like me and my brother was going to die._

_But things got worse. Kenai's roar started to crack the ground I, Kenai and the hunters were standing. Kenai and I looked at the crack, then we looked at each other._

"Uh-oh."  
_We both said._

_The ground under us broke and we both fell down the cliff along with the three hunters. Me, Kenai and the other hunters screamed as we fell, but a huge bank of snow broke my fall._

 "Kenai?"_  
I popped out of the snow and frantically looked around._

"Kenai! Where are you?"

_A wall made of ice was in front of me, but I could see the other side. I saw Kenai coming out of the snow. He got out of the snow and started shivering, he was cold, and I am too._

_Behind Kenai I saw a hunter rising from the snow, he saw Kenai and took out his spear. Kenai hasn't noticed the hunter._

"Kenai, look out! Behind you!"  
  


_Luckily Kenai heard me and turned around, I saw the hunter lunge at Kenai and they both started wrestling on the ground. I watched helplessly as Kenai struggled with the hunter. I sighed in relief when Kenai got the hunter off of him._

_Kenai turned to the icy wall and shouted at me:  
_"Koda, go to the salmon run! I'll meet you there!"__

"Do you even know how to get there?!"  
_I shouted back at him._

"No time for that, I can find it! I'll be ok!"  
_That answer worried me._

"Promise you'll be there?"  
_I asked him, I had to be sure._

"I promise."  
_He replied and placed his pinky on the wall.  
_"Pinky swear."  
_He said with a smile._

_I chuckled and placed my pinky on the wall too, kind of like making a pinky swear but with a wall between us. I gasped and turned around to find the other two hunters popping out of the snow bank behind me. I turned to see Kenai growling at the hunter on his side, which is getting up._

"Go Koda, now!"  
_Kenai shouted at me._

_Going to the salmon run alone? That was the fear I had when I got separated from my mom, that's why I wanted Kenai to come with me. But now it seems I'm alone again, but only temporarily, I have to be brave._

_I ran past the hunters and found my exit of that place, but I hope Kenai will be ok. But I had no such luck in losing the hunters; they ran out of the narrow path to chase me._

_I turned around and ran down the mountains, but I slipped and started sliding down the mountain. I continued sliding until I reached a verted rock and sent me flying into the air._

_I landed on the snow, but it wasn't very deep and pain surged through my body, but I shook it off and continued running. I kept running but I had to stop dead in my tracks when I reached the edge of another cliff, this one didn't had anything below to save me, just a rocky fall to death._

_I saw a few bushes next to me. I turned around to hide there but it was too late, the hunters had already pinned me to the cliff. I was trapped, nothing to do. I was done for._

_Just when a hunter was going to throw a spear at me from a distance, a big black bear jumped on him, making the spear land next to me. I looked at the bear furiously attacking the hunter, but the other hunter joined in and started swinging his spear at the bear, making it back off._

"You ok?"  
_I heard a voice asking me._

_I shook off my fear and looked next to me. A black cub was standing next to me, the skin around his nose was light-black, he had gray fur around his neck and black claws, and his eyes were light-brown._

"Yea…I'm ok."  
_I replied._

_He turned around and motioned me to follow him. I followed him and we hid in the bushes. I was gasping for breath, and then I looked at the cub._

_He looked at me and said:  
_"You were almost killed, you're lucky me and my father were here."

"Thanks."  
_I replied.  
_"I'm Koda, what's your name?"

"The name's Ken'ichi."  
_He proudly said.  
_"What's a cub like you doing up here all alone?"

"Well, I was heading to the salmon run with my brother when…"

_My explanation was cut short when we heard Ken'ichi's father roaring in pain. I and Ken'ichi popped our heads out of the bush to see a hunter slashing Ken'ichi's father on his back. I saw a hunter lying on the ground unconscious, while the other hunter was poking his spear to Ken'ichi's dad._

"Father!"  
_I heard Ken'ichi shout._

_I watched as Ken'ichi's father pinned the hunter to the edge of the cliff, he tried to slash the hunter but the hunter thought well. He gripped his spear and pierced it through Ken'ichi's father's side. _

"No!"  
_Ken'ichi cried as he ran to help his dad._

"Ken'ichi, don't!"  
_He didn't listen to me._

_He roared in pain and fell forward, falling on the hunter but both of them fell down the cliff. I gasped when I saw that, it was like watching what could've happened if I didn't tackled Denahi to save Kenai's life._

_Ken'ichi stopped at the edge of the cliff and cried:  
_"NO!!!"

_I got out of the bush; I kept seeing Ken'ichi looking at each side desperately looking for a way to get down. He found it and ran down the mountain. It started to rain after that, I stayed rooted on that mountain; I was traumatized at what I just saw…But I managed to wake up and walk down the mountain…_  
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This is it for chapter 2. See ya next chapter!


	3. I know how you feel

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Koda kept staring at Ken'ichi, who was glaring at him. Ken'ichi has developed hatred to Koda; he blamed Koda for the death of his father.

_No…it wasn't my fault…_, Koda thought as he stared at the glaring Ken'ichi, _but why do I feel like it was?_

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**Chapter 3: I know how you feel…**

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"Ken'ichi…I know how you feel."  
Koda said to Ken'ichi, trying to calm him down.  
"But you gotta believe me; I didn't want this to happen."

"You don't have any idea how I feel!"  
Ken'ichi cried to Koda, tears sliding down his face.  
"It's your fault he's gone!"

Koda slowly shook his head.  
"I didn't mean to, I didn't even…"

"Shut up!"  
Ken'ichi cut him off.

"But I can help you!"  
Koda cried to Ken'ichi, almost shouting.

"How can you help me?!"  
Ken'ichi shouted at him.  
"I don't even have anyone else to go now that my father is gone!"  
Ken'ichi sniffed, trying to suck away his tears.  
"You're not thinking of taking care of me are ya?! You can barely take care of yourself!"

Koda began to think, _how can he help Ken'ichi? Besides, I have to go to the salmon run to meet with Kenai there. Maybe I can ask Kenai if he's willing to have another little brother_, Koda continued to think,_ Wait…That's it!_

"The salmon run!"  
Koda cried happily.

Ken'ichi kept glaring at Koda; he was just a few seconds away from tackling Koda for that sudden cry of happiness.

"I'm heading to the salmon run!"  
Koda told Ken'ichi.  
"Why don't you come with me?"

Koda began to smile, if he brought Ken'ichi with him to the salmon run, he would find someone who can take care of Ken'ichi, even find the rest of his family. That would sure be a good way of saying sorry for his father's death. But he didn't told Ken'ichi about that, he wanted to be a surprise. And by the way Koda sees Ken'ichi; he's younger than him, so Koda would be taking the role of Kenai in this journey.

"No!"  
Koda's smile dropped when Ken'ichi cried those words.  
"I'm not going with you to the salmon run!"

Ken'ichi walked closer to Koda and looked at him straight in the eye.  
"I hate you for this! You don't know how I feel! And you're just saying this so you won't go alone and ditch me when we get there!"

"No, you got it all wrong."  
Koda told Ken'ichi, walking back.

"I know how you feel…"

"I'm not going with you!"  
Ken'ichi cut Koda off again.

"You're not even letting me talk!"  
Koda cried to Ken'ichi, almost losing his cool.

"I don't care!"  
Ken'ichi walked past Koda.

"How can you even help someone without knowing how they feel?!"

_(Soft music starts playing)_

"Ken'ichi!"  
Koda ran past Ken'ichi and stopped right in front of him.

"Look through my eyes…"  
Koda and Ken'ichi stared at each other right in the eye.  
"I know how you feel."

_There are things in life you'll learn and  
In time you'll see_

Ken'ichi just shook his head slowly and walked around Koda. Koda just looked at Ken'ichi walking away, but he's not giving up.

_Cause out there somewhere  
It's all waiting  
If you keep believing_

Ken'ichi kept walking and stopped at the top of a hill, where you can see a beautiful meadow full of flowers and trees. Koda slowly walked to Ken'ichi and stopped next to Ken'ichi.

_So don't run, don't hide  
It will be all right  
You'll see, trust me  
I'll be there watching over you_

Ken'ichi turned his head to see Koda. He glared at Koda; he wanted to get rid of him. But after watching that glare, Koda only said to him one thing, "Just trust me Ken'ichi…"

_Just take a look through my eyes (Through my eyes)  
There's a better place  
somewhere out there_

Ken'ichi scoffed at Koda and walked down the hill. He stopped in front of a broken down tree and noticed Koda still following him. Koda just want to help Ken'ichi in any way he can, but Ken'ichi keeps rejecting his offer.

_Just take a look through my eyes (Through my eyes)  
Everything changes  
You'll be amazed what you'll find (There's a better place)  
If you look through my eyes_

Ken'ichi, trying to lose Koda, jumps over the broken tree and runs up a hill, goes through a cave and stops in the middle of another meadow.

He catches his breath, and hopes that he lost Koda. But Koda is a nibble bear, he followed well. When Ken'ichi turned around, he gasps to see Koda walking out of the cave he ran through. He sighed in frustration of this bear's persistence.

_There will be times on this journey  
All you'll see is darkness_

Koda just looked at Ken'ichi with a sad look in his eyes.

_Out there somewhere daylight finds you  
If you keep believing_

What's going on with Ken'ichi that's giving him more pain than the death of his father? There's something extra giving Ken'ichi pain, more pain than he should receive from his father's death.

_So don't run, don't hide  
It will be all right  
You'll see, trust me  
I'll be there watching over you_

Koda ran down the hill and met with Ken'ichi, who's just sitting down, trying to suck up tears. Koda sat next to Ken'ichi.

"Ken'ichi, I know exactly how you feel. I lost my mom just like you lost your dad…"  
Koda said to Ken'ichi, and tears started to roll down Koda's face as he remembered that day.

_Just take a look (take a look) through my eyes (Look through my eyes)  
There's a better place  
somewhere out there  
Just take a look through my eyes (Look through my eyes)  
Everything changes  
You'll be amazed what you'll find (There's a better place)  
If you look through my eyes_

Ken'ichi looked at Koda and gave a sigh.  
"What are we gonna do when we get there?"

_All the things that you can change  
There's a meaning in everything  
And you will find all you need  
There's so much to understand_

Koda raised his head and his face lightened up. What Ken'ichi asked was a conformation of joining him to the salmon run.

_Take a look (Take a look) through my eyes (Look Through my eyes)  
There's a better place  
somewhere out there  
Just take a look (Take a look) through my eyes (Look through my eyes)  
Everything changes  
You'll be amazed what you'll find (You'll be amazed what you'll find)  
  
_

"You'll know when we get there."  
Koda said with a tone that sounded like he was hiding something.

_Just take a look (Take a look) through my eyes (Look through my eyes)  
There's a better place  
somewhere out there  
Just take a look (Take a look) through my eyes (Look through me eyes)  
Everything changes  
You'll be amazed what you'll find (You'll find a better place)  
  
_

Koda and Ken'ichi just looked at each other's eyes as the song finishes.

_If you look through my eyes (You'll find a better place)_

_Just take a look through my eyes (You'll find a better place)_

_If you look through my eyes.___

_Take a look through my eyes…_

"I promise, I won't abandon you like you said."  
Koda said with a smile.

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"Look Through My Eyes" by Phil Collins

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This is it my first time I write scenes in a fic with a song playing, so it was probably terrible.

See ya next chapter!


	4. Not the best of starts

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Dawn…Koda and Ken'ichi has decided to leave in the morning. But Ken'ichi isn't too thrilled about going. In fact, he feels like going to the salmon run is going to be a mistake…

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**Chapter 4: Not the best of start**

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Ken'ichi got up and walked in the morning sunlight, a gentle morning breeze brushing against his fur. He closed his eyes and sighed as the wind blows in his face. It made him almost forget about the tragedy that claimed his father's death, but that heavy blow will never be taken away from his heart, it has left a tremendous wound in his heart to witness his father's death.

Ken'ichi shook his head; he's not going to the salmon run. He turned around and froze in his place when he saw Koda. Koda was still sleeping though, but his mere presence made him remember his agreement to go with him.

Ken'ichi scoffed, but he agreed to go with him there. As much as he hates to admit it, he doesn't have anyone else to go to; he really needs Koda's help. But what does Koda has planned for him that wants him to go to the salmon run so badly?

Ken'ichi shook his head and walked to the sleeping Koda and gently shook him.

"Wake up kid!" Ken'ichi cried, "We got a long walk ahead of us."

Koda groaned and turned over, "Three more months…"

Ken'ichi glared at Koda with great anger; he's not cut out for this, "Hey! Wake up you lazy bear!" He angrily pushed Koda, turning him over and having his face land onto a puddle, wakening him up.

"Ok, ok. I'm up!" Koda announced as he lift his head from the puddle to see the angry Ken'ichi.

"Let's go." Ken'ichi said as he started walking. He knows the way, he been to the salmon run many times with his father, he practically knows the way better than Koda.

"Wait!" Koda cried as he ran to Ken'ichi, "Shouldn't we eat something before we head off? It's a long way and we might get hungry before we find something along the way."

Ken'ichi rolled his eyes and turned to Koda and started saying sarcastically, "Oh sure, let's waste our time looking for the freshest berry bush, eating berries all our morning to end up heading to the salmon run like what time?" He made a motion like if he was thinking, then faced Koda and looked at him right in the eye, "The afternoon?!"

"Well I'm hungry, and I'm not going hungry through all of this because of your attitude." Koda managed to say to Ken'ichi.

Ken'ichi scoffed and started walking, "Don't expect me to wait for you."

Koda shook his head as he looked at Ken'ichi and ran ahead of Ken'ichi, he hoped he didn't meant what he said by not waiting for him.

_Through the field and over the bridge  
I look back from the main road_

Koda stopped in front of a hill and opened his mouth with a happy look on his face; a field of bushes filled with berries was over it. Koda raced down the hill to have an early breakfast. Ken'ichi stopped and looked how Koda raced down the hill to fill his belly with berries.

_Together with the horizon I grew up with  
We say goodbye to the ole town_

Koda stopped and began eating berries, munching on the branches and swallowing any berry juice and berry bits falling in his mouth. Ken'ichi just walked past Koda like if he was invisible, but he stopped in front of a berry bush just out of Koda's sight. He looked back and ate a few berries, but he flinched and stopped eating when Koda ran to the bush next to Ken'ichi to eat berries there. Koda smiled at Ken'ichi with berry juice all over his mouth, but Ken'ichi growled lowly and walked away.

_We all have our secret wings  
With which to soar through the sky_

After eating, Koda and Ken'ichi reached the edge of a river. Koda was still a little hungry and he saw a few fishes swimming upstream. Ken'ichi however didn't care; he just continued walking to his destination. Koda, being the little rascal that he is, made a daring attempt to grab a fish, but he missed and slipped to the river.

_Until the day we pirouette  
Onto a distant peaceful land_

Ken'ichi looked back and stopped when he couldn't see Koda anywhere. But he turned and continued to his destination. He said he wasn't going to wait for him, so he's planning on keeping his word. He wonders why he agreed to go with this cub to the salmon run. What is it to keep him company? Or was he scared to be alone now that his father is gone?

Ken'ichi took a glimpse at the river, but immediately gave a closer look when he saw something weird in the water. Upon closer inspection, he could make a figure of a bear swimming toward him. Ken'ichi was about to walk away when the bear's head popped out of the water, revealing to be Koda. Koda smiled weakly as Ken'ichi gave him a look which expressed 'What were you doing?'

_Together with the horizon I grew up with  
We say goodbye to the ole town_

Koda got out of the water and shook himself dry; Ken'ichi rolled his eyes and continued walking. Koda gave a playful glare at Ken'ichi, he then ran and stopped next to him and pushed him in the river. Koda laughed and then jumped to join him.

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Wings of Youth (TV Mode) by Takai Yoshihiro

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Ken'ichi's head popped out of the water. Second was Koda's. Ken'ichi glared at Koda; he was not in the mood for this. Both of them could feel the current of the river pulling them, but it didn't face a challenge for Koda and Ken'ichi swim back to land.

"Ha-ha, got ya huh?" Koda said as he got out of the water, but his smile dropped when he saw Ken'ichi glaring at him like if he was ready to kill. Koda lowered his head and moved his eyes to look at the ground, "I guess…you're not in the mood huh?"

Ken'ichi glared at Koda and turned his back; Koda shook himself dry and stood next to Ken'ichi. Ken'ichi, without any warning, pushed Koda back into the river, "Payback!"

Koda abruptly popped out of the water, he gasped when the river's current was pulling him faster than usual. He also noticed Ken'ichi's grin. Koda suddenly went under water and arose, coughing water, "Ken'ichi…help?"

Ken'ichi kept walking downstream, following Koda, "You pushed me into the water and I pushed you back. I think you can get out of the water by yourself." With that, Ken'ichi turned to head to the direction to the salmon run.

"Wait Ken'ichi…" Koda stopped when he heard a roaring sound, that isn't his stomach. Koda turned around and almost screamed when he saw what he was heading for was a…"Waterfall!"

Ken'ichi was almost out of Koda's sight when he heard Koda's voice shouting, "Ken'ichi help!" Ken'ichi turned to see Koda being carried to a waterfall. Ken'ichi gasped; this was going to be some rescue he's going to have to pull.

Ken'ichi ran back, grabbed a vine from a tree with his mouth and jumped into the river. He swam to Koda to reach him faster; he hoped the vine was long enough. Koda was trying to grab any rock he could, but the current was pulling him too fast.

Ken'ichi is a strong bear, practically very strong for his age, so swimming was nothing to him, but the current made a formidable foe at pulling Koda away from him.

Koda managed to grab onto a rock, he coughed up swallowed water, his claws grinded on the rock slowly, Koda was grabbing on with all the strength he could, hoping for anything to save him. Luckily, his rescue came in the form of a black bear, "Ken'ichi!"

Ken'ichi couldn't talk though; the vine in his mouth is the only thing keeping him between life and death. Ken'ichi grabbed a rock which is a feet away from Koda. He tried to reach Koda but the vine has reached its limit, Ken'ichi can't reach him unless he lets go of the vine.

Koda knew Ken'ichi can't reach him, but he was surprised he jumped in to save him. After how Ken'ichi acted toward him, he thought Ken'ichi didn't cared what happened to him. So Koda decided to try to swim at Ken'ichi, but the current was too strong and Koda was slowly being taken away.

Ken'ichi had to make a choice, either declare the rescue a failure and pull himself back to safety, or go after Koda and find another way. Ken'ichi has hated Koda so much for how his father died because of him, he preferred Koda dying than his father, and this could be his revenge. But his father raised no abandoner, he released the vine and swam to Koda, tackled him to push him to a rock, and they both grabbed the rock. "Ken'ichi what'll we do?" Koda cried as he grabbed the rock for dear life. "I'm working on it…" Ken'ichi replied.

Ken'ichi looked around and blinked twice when he saw a tree branch submerged in the river. The tree branch is still connected to the tree; they can use it to pull themselves to land. Ken'ichi didn't had time nor the interest to explain his plan to Koda, he just pushed him off the rock.

Koda couldn't believe what Ken'ichi just did; he just pushed him into the river again. But Koda immediately saw the tree branch and quickly grasped Ken'ichi's plan. As soon as he came into range, Koda grabbed the tree branch and slowly pulled himself toward land with whatever strength he had left, but he stopped midway to catch his breath, "Keep going!" a childish yet determined voice shouted from behind him. Koda blinked and looked back; Ken'ichi was holding unto the same branch, "Keep going or we'll both drown!"

Koda didn't want to agitate Ken'ichi any longer; he looked forward and kept going. In what seemed forever in a struggle against the strong current of the river, Koda and Ken'ichi were out of the river and into dry land. Both bears sat down to catch their breath.

"Thanks," Koda said to Ken'ichi, "I thought you were going to leave me." Ken'ichi just stood up and shook himself dry, "Don't flatter yourself, I only did it because I felt bad about pushing you into the water."

Koda shook himself dry and walked to Ken'ichi, "Well it was your fault I almost drown in a waterfall and…"

"Shut up!" Ken'ichi cut him off, "It's your fault anyway! You pushed me into the water!" Koda backed up a little, Ken'ichi was so mad he was one step away from attacking him. "Do that again and next time I won't save your neck." With that, Ken'ichi continued his walk to the salmon run. Koda sighed in sadness and fear; this was going to be a long journey.

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What'd you think? And no, not all chapters will have a song, I might if you ask.

See ya next chapter!


	5. A help that makes trouble

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Ken'ichi wondered about that rescue. Did he save Koda just because he felt bad for him? Or did he care for the cub already after only one day of knowing him?

"You okay?" Koda asked him when he saw the look on his face. But Ken'ichi didn't answer; he just looked forward and continues to walk.

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**Chapter 5: A help that makes trouble**

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Koda and Ken'ichi stopped walking when they heard two voices arguing about something, which then turned into a name exchanging contest. Koda concentrated on the two voices and immediately recognized them.

"It was your fault that mammoth chased us all this way!" a voice echoed through the forest, but only just a few feet away from the cubs.

"Knock it off, eh." A different voice cried. Koda and Ken'ichi kept looking forward; two mooses were walking toward them, Rutt and Tuke.

"Well I wouldn't bug you about this if you would've left that mammoth alone." Tuke argued.

"That mammoth walked over our nice patch of grass. Do you know how hard it is to find those types of patches?" Rutt replied.

"Rutt! Tuke!" Koda cried as he ran to the two mooses, Ken'ichi stayed behind. Rutt and Tuke stopped arguing when they heard Koda and saw him running to them.

"Hey, smallish bear! How's it going, eh?" Rutt greeted.

"You look bigger since last time we saw you." Tuke said, giving a noogie to Koda with his feet.

"Where's Mr. Bear?" Rutt asked.

"Oh, we just got separated that's all." Koda confidently said, confident that Kenai will be in the salmon run. "So Ken'i…"

"Hey, I didn't know you had another brother!" Tuke rudely cut Koda off when he saw Ken'ichi.

"What?!" Ken'ichi shouted, taking it as an offense.

"Well, he's…uhhh…" Koda tried to explain, but they weren't paying attention.

"He's kind of cute, eh?" Rutt said as he noogied Ken'ichi.

Ken'ichi rudely got out of Rutt's noogie and glared at the moose, Rutt's happy-go-lucky face immediately dropped when he saw the cub glaring at him.

"Oh great going moose breath!" Tuke yelled at Rutt, "You just made the smallish bear mad!"

"I didn't mean to make him angry, eh!" Rutt defended, "And don't call me moose breath, twig legs!"

"Pine cone brain!" Tuke insulted.

"Nut head!" Rutt insulted back.

Ken'ichi walked to Koda as the two mooses exchanged names, Koda giggled a little, it's been a while since he saw both of them fighting. "Do they do this often?" Ken'ichi coolly asked Koda.

"Not all the time." Koda replied as he walked away from the Rutt and Tuke. Ken'ichi looked back at the other mooses and shook his head with a mid-smiled.

"Hey wait!"

Koda abruptly stopped when that voice cried through his ears; he turned to see Rutt and Tuke running toward them.

"You cubs are heading to the fishy run right?" Rutt asked the cubs.

"Its salmon run you twit!" Tuke corrected Rutt.

"Umm…yea." Koda answered; having a thought they were going to suggest something. Ken'ichi looked at Koda, giving him a look to say no to whatever they would ask or suggest.

Rutt looked at Tuke, and then at Koda, "I was thinking maybe we could…"

Tuke cut Rutt off, "Maybe we could you know…"

Rutt pushed Tuke aside, "Help you, eh?"

Koda looked at Rutt and Tuke, they weren't exactly known for their bravery, let alone leave them in charge of cubs. Koda looked at Ken'ichi, whose face expressed 'Let them help and you're as good as alone.'

"How?" Koda curiously asked.

"Well, uhh…" Rutt looked at Tuke and whispered, "How?"

Tuke shoved Rutt gently, "We can help them like this." Without any warning, Tuke lowered his antlers and shoveled Koda up, lifting his head and sending Koda rolling down his neck and stop on his back. "We can give you a ride." Tuke announced as he looked at Koda, who's on his back.

'This is ridiculous.' Ken'ichi thought as he heard what Tuke had planned. Before he could even say anything, Rutt came from behind and did the same thing Tuke did to Koda.

"Do I have to carry angry bear?" Rutt whinely asked Tuke.

"Angry bear?!" Ken'ichi angrily yelled, and then he grabbed Rutt's antlers and suspended himself, his face in front of Rutt. "Listen you twigs for brains! My name is Ken'ichi! Not angry bear!" He glared at Rutt, who was petrified with fear as the cub glared at him. "Got it?!" Rutt cowardly nodded. Ken'ichi scoffed and pulled himself up.

Koda silently giggled while Tuke chuckled. "Is he always like this?"  
Koda giggled again. "Only when he's mad."

Ken'ichi kind of heard the conversation and looked at Koda. Koda saw the look Ken'ichi was giving him and immediately quieted down and lowered his head.

Ken'ichi had enough; he goes to get off of Rutt's back. "Well, I'm off the loony express."

"C'mon Ken'ichi." Koda cried. "Trust them, we could use a ride."

Ken'ichi stayed silent, it could be faster this way since they have longer legs and can walk faster, and maybe he should take this opportunity.

Ken'ichi looked around and sighed, "Alright, we could use a ride." Without any warning, Rutt jerked to the left, making Ken'ichi almost fall off.

"Alright smallish bear, which direction?" Rutt asked.

Koda looked to each direction. "Hmmm…that way!" He pointed to a direction.

"Alright brother bears, hang on." Tuke said and they were off.

Ken'ichi holds himself back from going postal on Tuke for taking him as Koda's brother. He's not his brother, when will they get that through their thick heads? Though, does Ken'ichi even like the thought of him as Koda's brother? He thought about it, but he was immediately remembered of…Ken'ichi shook off the idea and the thought which went to his head.

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Night fell. A few minutes after they took off, Koda started telling his stories. Ken'ichi didn't enjoy them, but Rutt and Tuke seem to enjoy them.

"So we pulled him as hard as we could, but the only way to free him was to cut off his tongue and…"

"Please stop!" Rutt suddenly cried. "I don't like the way this one is turning out."

"Rutt is weak to stomach those types of stories" Tuke explained. "Better move to the next one."

"Oh." Koda began to wonder which other story to tell. "You wanna hear how I met Kenai again?" Koda suggested.

"Yea, I like that one." Rutt agreed.

Tuke nodded. "I never get tired of that one"

"No! No more stories!" Ken'ichi shouted, which startled the birds and animals around the forest. "Don't you ever get tired of talking?! I don't care about how you met your brother named Kenai! I could care less what you did that made you careful about what you lick! I don't care how you found the biggest pine cone in the world!"

"It was a pine **nut**." Koda corrected him.

"I don't care what it was; you're getting on my nerves! I just want you to shut up!!!"

His yelling has made the forest very silent, never has Ken'ichi been so angry before. Koda, Rutt and Tuke stayed quiet. Rutt was scared stiff, not only did he heard Ken'ichi's shouting crystal clear but he's carrying an angry bear which could do anything drastic just to shut others up.

Rutt and Tuke gulped and continue their way without saying a word. Koda stayed quiet, keeping himself from telling more stories, Ken'ichi would burst again if he continued. He looked up and gasped to see the night rainbow, it looked just as he saw it last time with Kenai when they were riding the mammoths. He started thinking about Kenai; he wonders if his big brother has made it out of that mountain alive, will he find him in the salmon run?

"Please spirits…" Koda whispered under his breath. "Look out for Kenai."

Koda heard a screech and looked to a tree to see an eagle standing on a tree branch, looking at Koda. The eagle gave another screech and flew off. Kenai had told Koda about the eagle before, Kenai had told him the eagle is the spirit of his brother watching over them. Those words are still fresh in Koda's heart.

Koda smiled. "Keep an eye on him…Sitka."

Koda was looking where the eagle flew off he didn't noticed a pair of a bear's glowing eyes watching him from the shadows, the bear blinked and moved to keep up with the party.

"Ow!"

Koda and Ken'ichi were startled when the mooses were jerking back and forward.

"Nice going twig legs!" Tuke cried as he tried to untangle his antlers from Rutt's.

"I'm sorry; I wasn't paying attention to the road, eh." Rutt said.

"That's no good excuse to bunk antlers with me!" Tuke yelled.

"That's it, I'm out of here!" Ken'ichi cried as he got off Rutt.

"Ken'ichi, wait!" Koda cried, and then jumped off Tuke's back. "Thanks for the ride guys, are you going to be ok?"

"Yea, you guys go ahead." Tuke said as he continues trying to untangle his antlers from Rutt's.

"You're hurting me, eh!" Rutt complained.

"It's your fault anyway!" Tuke yelled.

Koda giggled as the two mooses argued, but then turned to catch up with Ken'ichi.

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"Ken'ichi!" Koda cried. "Wait for me!"

Ken'ichi turned his head and stopped to let Koda catch up, but when he did Ken'ichi started walking again, not letting the cub to catch his breath.

"How can you be friends with weirdoes like that?" Ken'ichi asked.

"They're not weirdoes!" Koda defended. "They just fight a lot."

Ken'ichi scoffed. "Well maybe they wouldn't fight so much if someone wouldn't get their attention by telling stupid stories!"

"You can't blame everything on me!" Koda angrily cried.

Ken'ichi continued glaring at Koda. "Now I really know why you got separated from your brother."

Ken'ichi started walking again, but Koda ran ahead and stood in front of him. "What are you saying?" He asked partly angry.

"What?" Ken'ichi coolly asked. "You're going to do something about it?"

Koda is now angry, he can take an insult about his story-telling ramblings, but when it comes to insulting his brother, he has crossed the line. "I warn you Ken'ichi; don't pick a fight with me."

"What are you going to do?" Ken'ichi coolly taunted Koda, "Talk me to death?"

"I warn you, when I get into a fight I go crazy and I'm a raging ball of brown fur!" Koda threatened Ken'ichi, giving a slash which missed Ken'ichi's face by a few inches, but Ken'ichi didn't flinched. "I got some moves, so you better watch out what you say about my brother!"

Ken'ichi seemed unfazed by Koda's threat and walked around him. "Ha! If you're like this, then your brother must be a stupid, arrogant jerk"

Koda's eyes widened. What Ken'ichi just said was the ultimate insult, and this really made him mad. Koda, as fast as lightning, ran and stood in front of Ken'ichi, giving the meanest glare he had. "Take that back!"

Ken'ichi wasn't afraid. "No."

Koda got closer to Ken'ichi's face. "Take it back!"

But Ken'ichi's response was, "I said no!"

Koda had all he could take from Ken'ichi's attitude, he pushed him down a hill that was behind them and both of them rolled down to the bottom. Koda landed on Ken'ichi, but he wasn't happy about having Koda on him.

"Why you…" Ken'ichi angrily whispered under his breath.

With his hind legs he pushed Koda off of him, slamming him into the ground. Koda quickly got up on his feet and tackled Ken'ichi, slamming him unto a tree. Ken'ichi recovered and yelped fierce fully as he tackled Koda. The tackle was more powerful than Koda's; he bounced a few times and rolled on the ground, slamming unto another tree.

Koda weakly got back on his feet, shook his head and looked at Ken'ichi. Ken'ichi was ready to fight, even against someone who is trying to help. Ken'ichi however, wanted to fight with Koda ever since that horrible day his father died, but for some reason he kept himself from doing it. The only reason Koda is fighting is because Ken'ichi has insulted his brother Kenai, which is an insult that terribly angers him. Ken'ichi is fighting because he wants revenge for the death of his father; he wants to do the same to the bear responsible for the tragedy, even if it wasn't Koda's fault. Koda and Ken'ichi charged at each other with a yelp of anger.

A dark-gray bear jumped out of the shadows, ran down the hill and jumps between Koda and Ken'ichi.

"Hold up you two!" The bear cried, separating the two fighting cubs.

Ken'ichi and Koda stopped, but they kept glaring at each other. The mysterious bear began to catch his breath; he had run a long way to stop Koda and Ken'ichi before they rip each other to pieces…

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I want to thank the reviewers for your wonderful reviews, but don't go out on me, this fic is just beginning, and you're always welcome to give me any ideas for the fic.

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R&R and tell me what you think.

See ya next chapter!


	6. A strange acquaintance

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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"Now I get what this is all about…" The gray bear says as he sits on a rock, with Koda sitting on the ground to his left, and Ken'ichi sitting with his back turned to his right.

The gray bear looks at Koda, "You're mad at that cub because he called your brother a stupid, arrogant jerk." Koda nods.

"And you-" The gray bear turns to Ken'ichi, "You're mad at him because he killed your father by dragging hunters toward you?"

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**Chapter 6: A strange acquaintance **

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Koda shakes his head, "It was an accident. I was being chased by the hunters and his dad saves me but-"

"Shut up!" Ken'ichi rudely cuts Koda off, "I don't want to listen to your lame excuses again!"

"Excuses?" Koda slowly pads over to Ken'ichi, "Your dad gave his life for me, the least you should be is happy for having a dad who willingly gives his life for others."

Ken'ichi covers his ears, "Shut up! I don't want to hear your stupid words!"

"I'm not-"

"Shut up!!!" Ken'ichi goes to give a good slash at Koda to make him shut up, but the gray bear grabs his paw before he could do so.

"Enough! Now the least you two could do is to apologize to each other." He looks at Koda, "You should apologize for attacking him when he insulted your brother, he's just angry because he has lost his father."

Koda sighs, "I'm sorry…"

The gray bear nods and turns to Ken'ichi, "And you have to apologize for being so stubborn and ignorant to him. Your father sacrificed his life for his, it wasn't his fault. You should apologize for giving him such stress and hurt for this."

The bear lets go of Ken'ichi's paw, but Ken'ichi just scoffs and turns his back on him, why should he say sorry for being angry at Koda when it was his fault that his father is dead?

The gray bear just chuckles, "You haven't changed at all, Ken'ichi."

Ken'ichi blinks in confusion as the gray bear walks by him, how did he knew his name?

Koda pads close to Ken'ichi, "How did he know your name?"

Ken'ichi glanced at Koda with a mean look, but he settles down, "I don't know." He said, firm and low, "I've never even seen this bear before…"

The gray bear turned his head back to the two cubs, "Hey you two! We better start our way if we want to reach the salmon run before night falls!"

Koda blinks, how did he know they were going to the salmon? Ken'ichi looks at Koda's puzzled expression and rolls his eyes, it's common sense that in this time of year all of the bears plan to go to the salmon run. But still, does that bear even plan of joining them?

"What's wrong?" The gray bear asks as he walks back to the cubs, "Oh I get it, you two are feeling kind of weird of having a bear join you two on your journey from out of the blue, right?"

Koda gives a nod, but Ken'ichi just keeps silent, staring at nothing as he ignores them.

The bear chuckles, "Well c'mon, you bears might need an older companion to keep an eye on you guys." He smirks, "Now you two make up, so we can go to the salmon run, together!"

Koda looks at Ken'ichi, then back at the bear, "OK, it'll be fun to have another bear around!" He said excitedly.

The bear nodded, "Then it's settled!" He grabbed Ken'ichi and dragged him to his right and Koda to his left, "We'll go to the salmon run, together."

Ken'ichi looks at Koda, who right now is giving a soft smile, trying to have him come along. Ken'ichi looks at the bear and just scoffs, "Fine then…"

"In case you're wondering…" The bear looked at Ken'ichi, "My name is Kamali."

Ken'ichi's ears perk up and look at the bear, which identified himself as Kamali. For some reason, Ken'ichi found that name…interesting. Ken'ichi inspected Kamali's body…But no, it wasn't who he thought it was…

"Well? Shall we get going?" Kamali asks with a smirk.

Koda nods and takes a head start, "Yeah, c'mon!"

Kamali chuckles and follows Koda; Ken'ichi stays behind and stares at Kamali though…

_'Same name…same personality…different body…Maybe it's just a coincidence…'_ Ken'ichi thought as he kept looking at Kamali…

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"So Kamali…" Koda decides to start a conversation after an hour and a half of silence, "Have you ever been to the salmon run? Or only heard of it?"

Ken'ichi rolls his eyes at the question, obviously this bear have been to the salmon run before, why the stupid question?

Kamali chuckles, "Well, I been to the salmon run a long time when I was just about your age, but I haven't returned to the salmon run ever since…"

Ken'ichi glances at Kamali, "You're kidding, right? Every bear goes to the salmon run once a year; I doubt you missed it all this time."

Kamali shook his head, "I just had trouble with my family and other business that I couldn't make it."

Ken'ichi doesn't reply, he just keeps his thoughts to himself for not to 'insult' Koda and Kamali. Koda glances at Ken'ichi, wondering what that cub is thinking. He feels bad that his father is gone because some hunters followed him to a cliff. Koda will never forget that terrible nightfall, that brave act Ken'ichi's father did just to save him. He never got to say thank you. Koda bowed his head and closed his eyes, whispering his thanks to Ken'ichi's father, in hope that his spirit would listen to his grateful whispers…

"What's that…vibration?" Ken'ichi shakily asks.

Koda's thoughts and whispers were interrupted when he also felt the earth shake, keeping himself from falling to the ground. Kamali stands up on his hind legs and looks around, he gasps and goes down on all four and immediately jumps out of the way, pushing Koda and Ken'ichi with him.

"What was that for?!" Ken'ichi asks Kamali.

Suddenly, a giant foot stomps on where they have been standing. Another foot comes into view and the other rises and goes out of view, and the second foot rises and goes out of view. But then another set of foots appear and does the same. Koda stands up and takes a closer look…Mammoths!

"Oh wow! Mammoths!" Koda announces excitedly.

Kamali and Ken'ichi pad closer to Koda to look at the herd of mammoths heading their way to their destination.

"Wow, look at them all!" Kamali says as he watches the herd of mammoths.

Koda immediately began remembering when he and Kenai rode on the mammoths a year ago…When they were just acquaintances, when Koda learned that Kenai's brother, Sitka, was a spirit. Koda's thoughts immediately went to Kenai; he wonders how he's doing…all alone, without his little brother on his side to aid him…

"Yeah, mammoths, very nice…" Ken'ichi sarcastically says, "Now, let's go before night falls over us again."

Ken'ichi starts padding to the direction of the salmon run, Kamali nods and follows. Koda notices the mammoths are heading the same direction Ken'ichi and Kamali are going…he gets an idea.

"Wait, I got a better idea how to get to the salmon run even faster." He claims.

Ken'ichi turns around, "Me too." He says sarcastically, "We can get there faster if you don't slow us down like you have done all this time."

Koda glares at Ken'ichi but he ignores him, "We can ride the mammoths!"

Kamali shakes his head and blinks; this is the first time he has heard a suggestion like that. He can't even picture bears riding on mammoths. Ken'ichi just rolls his eyes at Koda's suggestions; he believes that idea is the dumbest he has heard from Koda all day. But Koda wasn't faced by the doubts of the suggestion; he just picked his mammoth and climbed on a mammoth. He sits on the mammoth's back and looks at Kamali and Ken'ichi, gesturing to them to hop on.

"C'mon, they won't hurt ya." He assures them.

Kamali shrugs and laughs, "OK, I'm in."

Kamali jumps on the mammoth behind Koda's mammoth and sits on his back. Ken'ichi rolls his eyes and turns around to continue the track, but the mammoths Koda and Kamali were riding on were getting ahead.

Ken'ichi sighs, "This is so stupid…walk or ride…walk or ride…" Ken'ichi closed his eyes and gave a threatening growl, "Oh fine! Wait up!"

He ran after the mammoth Koda's riding and climbed to its back. Koda turns around and laughs that Ken'ichi gave in and joined them on the mammoths.

"Welcome aboard, Ken'ichi!" Koda exclaims as he laughs.

"Yeah yeah, very funny…" Ken'ichi replies, "Just keep your talking to a minimum!"

Ken'ichi lies down just a certain distance from Koda on the mammoth's back, sighing as he thinks about this journey of his with Koda. He was thinking of ditching the cub when they were just a distance from the salmon run, but now he's having second thoughts about doing that…

Koda on the other hand was excited; it has been a long time since he last rode a mammoth. He began remembering when he climbed on the trunk of the mammoth and stood up on it, he loved doing that, but he doubts he can do it again since he's bigger now. Hey, one year can make a bear cub grow a lot.

Kamali, who's riding on the mammoth behind Koda's, lies back as he watches the scenery as the mammoth walks by them. It truly is beautiful, clear blue skies, crystal blue ponds, birds chirping happily and other animals scurrying about on the ground.

"Enjoying the view Ken'ichi?" Kamali hears Koda asks.

A short pause from Ken'ichi, "…Sorta…"

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Night has fallen again, and Koda's voice could be heard in the night-time sky.

"And when I saw him, I ran as fast as I could and I tackled that hunter with all my strength before he could kill Kenai."

Koda has turned on his story-telling mode; currently he's telling the final events of how he met his brother, Kenai. Right now he's just finishing his story, just finished telling how he tackled the hunter who turned out to be Denahi, one of the two brothers of Kenai.

"He was lucky I came in time, or he would have to be my brother with a knife in his chest." Koda laughed at the thought, but immediately went serious, "I mean, I know he can't survive something like that. He could've died…"

Ken'ichi could notice the sadness in Koda's eyes as he begins to thought how his life could've been like if he would never went after Kenai that night. Kamali can clearly hear it as he lay back on the tusks of the mammoth he's riding on. He too could imagine the pain and sadness Koda could've gone through if he didn't do what he said he did…

Koda shed a smile, "But that didn't happen, thanks to me." He chuckled, "And after that, Kenai decided to become my brother and live happily ever after, the end!"

Ken'ichi laid down, his back away from Koda. Death…that's something Koda's story reminded him of. Ken'ichi closes his eyes and begins remembering everything…his mother…his father…and even…his own brother…

Ken'ichi opens his eyes and a tear rolls down his cheek…

"Something wrong?" Koda asks as he doesn't see any movement on Ken'ichi.

"No…" Ken'ichi coldly replies, "…Koda…What do you think…of how your death will be? Are you afraid of dying?"

That question caught Koda off guard, "Gee, I never thought about it…I always used to think that the adult life would be care-free and easy. But then after I learned about hunters and other risks, well…I began to think that adult life was harder than I thought…"

Ken'ichi sits up, but his back still turned, he doesn't want Koda to see that he actually has tears forming in his eyes, damping his cheeks as the tears rolls down.

"But…why would you ask a question like that?" Koda asks, curiously.

"Well because…because…" Ken'ichi gives in and turns his face to Koda, revealing his damp cheeks and tear-filled eyes, "Because I am…I'm terrified of dying…I've seen so many deaths that I can't even keep my mind straight anymore…After their deaths, I…I've been terrified of dying…"

Koda blinks as Ken'ichi lies back down; he has just heard what is probably Ken'ichi's biggest confession…His fear of dying. That could be the explanation of Ken'ichi's attitude…his lack of trust to others, probably fearing that they would betray him and finish his life off. His aggressive attitude and fearless ways is just a bluff to make others think he's not defenseless…Is it really a bluff?

No, that can't be the real reason he's so bitter to others, there must be a bigger reason…Something bigger than Koda thinks.

"Ken'ichi…I may not exactly understand, but if it'll make you feel better, you can have my shoulder to cry on." Koda suggests, with a hint of smile on his face.

"No shoulder in the world can relief me of the pain I've felt then…" Ken'ichi replies simply.

Koda blinks, "What do you mean?"

Ken'ichi sighs sadly, "It's my family…It wasn't only my father that got taken away…my mother was brutally taken away too by those…" Ken'ichi makes a slight pauses, "those monsters" He finally says while turning his head away from Koda.

Koda could feel the pain Ken'ichi must've felt when he lost his mother; he too lost his mother to a hunter.

"I…I also had a brother…" Ken'ichi confessed.

"You did?" Koda asks, "What happened to him? Did you two get separated?"

"He was also killed by those monsters…" Ken'ichi answers as he buries his head on the mammoth's warm back.

Koda couldn't believe it, Ken'ichi's family is gone, every single one of them. Koda bit his lower lip; his idea just went down the drain. He planned to reunite Ken'ichi with his family or relatives when they reached the salmon run, but now that he has heard this, it won't happen. Koda could hear Ken'ichi sobbing, his face buried on the mammoth's back, damping its fur. Koda's idea may have backfired, but he's still determined to do everything in his power to make Ken'ichi feel better. Kenai…that's his answer, Koda knows he can find an answer within Kenai, he may know what to do. But for now, Ken'ichi needs a shoulder to cry on, he needs someone who can understand his pain and find a remedy for it. That someone could be Koda, and he'll do anything…anything to help Ken'ichi.

Koda lies down next to Ken'ichi and nuzzles him a little, trying to comfort the broken up black cub. Back at the mammoth behind Koda and Ken'ichi's, Kamali heard the whole thing, lying down on his mammoth's tusks, he looks up into the sky, a hint of tear in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Ken'ichi…" He whispers as he looks at the night sky…

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Finally, an update from yours truly. I'm so sorry about not updating sooner; I had a serious case of writer's block. But I'm back and hope to have more updates on this fanfic, so don't give up on me just yet!

See ya next chapter!


	7. A brand new direction

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi, Kamali and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Ken'ichi stares at nothing. Koda is fast asleep next to him, while Kamali is still on the mammoth behind theirs, probably sleeping.

_'I…I can't believe I told him…'_ Ken'ichi thought to himself.

But he did…Ken'ichi told Koda about his family's fate…Koda now knows the reason for Ken'ichi's bitterness…His hole in his heart…Everything he ever loved…Taken away…

He sighs and tries to fall asleep; all that crying has worn him out…

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**Chapter 7: A brand new direction**

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Ken'ichi finds himself in a dark place; no light within sight, just pitch-black darkness…Nothing is seen overhead or in the distance…

"Where…Where am I?" Ken'ichi asked to no one in particular, his question echoing in the darkness.

He takes a few steps forward, and out of the darkness he sees a bear standing at the edge of what looks like a cliff…A closer look is enough for Ken'ichi to realize who that bear is, "Father?!"

The bear looks over his shoulder with a smile, it is his father! Ken'ichi couldn't help but to shed a tear and run after his dad. His father turns to face Ken'ichi, but as he does so he disappears out of thin air. This forced Ken'ichi to stop at the edge, looking around, wondering where in this pitch-black place his father has disappeared to.

"Father! Where'd you go?!" His question echoed in the darkness…But no reply…Instead, the cliff under him began to crumble…It's preparing to fall from under Ken'ichi and threatened to drop him in the pitch black infinite abyss below. The patch of ground separated from its body and began to slowly tilt, forcing Ken'ichi to sink his claws at the patch of ground's edge to prevent himself from sliding off the ledge down to the abyss.

"Ken'ichi!" A familiar voice echoed through Ken'ichi's ears. He opens his eyes to see Koda, standing at the edge of the stable ground, extending his paw to Ken'ichi, "Here! Grab my paw!"

Ken'ichi hesitated at this offer; he's staring at the cub that doomed his father, the cub that has dragged him miles and miles just to keep him company toward the Salmon Run, and then leave him behind when he finds his brother. He feels anguish to accept the help of someone like that, the idea sickens him. Accepting the help of someone like that is like taking a spear to his side.

And yet…Koda was the only one who has showed him hospitality and generosity in his time of need, he helped him to move on from his father's death, even though it wasn't successful. Koda treated Ken'ichi like…a brother. And yet, Ken'ichi kept dissing the cub, saying that he hates him and blaming him for everything. All of this just to grow hatred toward a bear cub who didn't mean to send his father to his death.

"Ken'ichi!" Koda cries out as the ground that is holding Ken'ichi from falling cracks a little bit further away from him.

Ken'ichi still hesitates as he holds on for life. Inside, Ken'ichi hates Koda for what his lack of luck had took his father…But…Deep down, Ken'ichi is actually grateful to have someone who cares about him when those who are originally suppose to fill those feelings are gone.

Ken'ichi may not see it…But he's staring at the answer he's been looking for…Koda…In a way, Koda is his light, his savior, his path, his strength…When Ken'ichi needs help, he can always go to him.

The ledge which Ken'ichi is holding on to is slowly crumbling, soon it'll break and he'll down the endless darkness. His only choice is to trust Koda…Ken'ichi makes his choice…He extends his paw to Koda, who grabs it in time to save Ken'ichi from falling as the ledge crumbles at that last moment.

Koda smiles as he holds his friend from falling. Ken'ichi, in return he…smiles! He's actually smiling back at him!

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The slow opening of one's eyes mark the beginning of a new day as Ken'ichi slowly wakes up with the morning sun beaming down his head through some opening from the tree tops…Wait, he's lying on the green grass in a meadow with a lake close by, not on the mammoths like he was last night. Also, where are Koda and Kamali?

"Good morning, sleepy head," A voice greeted with a laugh.

Ken'ichi shook his head to rid of the sleepiness, and in the lake, looking at Ken'ichi from the inner edge, holding his body up from the water by having his arms out of the water and on solid ground, there's Koda, looking at Ken'ichi with a grin.

"Where are we?" Ken'ichi plainly asked, "I thought we were on the mammoths."

Koda just giggled and got out of the water, "Well, we were getting off track so we had to get off of them. Kamali had to carry you off the mammoths and to this meadow, where we waited for you to wake up."

Ken'ichi scratches his mane as he gets up, still a little bit sleepy. The cool morning breeze blowing against his body, brushing his fur as it passes around, over and under him. Thinking about his own brother who has passed away thanks to the cruelty of the hunters…

Koda looks at Ken'ichi's pondering face; soon he finds his eyes going down to Ken'ichi's neck, where he can barely make out a strange, but almost invisible, line of nearly hairless skin from his neck to his chest…This intrigued him, curiosity has raised by a little…OK, so maybe a lot. "Ken'ichi…" Koda begins as he steps closer to him. "How…How did you get that scar?"

Ken'ichi blinks and looks at Koda, a question he never thought of answering…Never. Ken'ichi sighs. "It's…It's a scar I received when…When those hunters came along and killed my brother…I tried to save him, but I ended up with this wound that ended up giving me this scar…"

Ken'ichi looks away from Koda, that terrible day still fresh in his mind…Those faces from the hunters…His brother's horrific roars in his final seconds…The pain from that wound he could still feel…But the pain of losing his brother was bigger than any wound he could've had…

"Can I see it?" Koda curiously and innocently asked.

Ken'ichi doesn't think much of the scar, as it tends to bring back some memories, though it doesn't bother him when others ask for a glimpse of it. "Sure…"

Koda pads closer to Ken'ichi as he raises his head to let Koda have a better look at the scar. As Koda has a closer look on the scar, he realizes just how deep and long the once fatal wound is, very fatal that could've killed this black cub if wasn't treated quickly. Koda blinks hard and steps back, signaling the end of his inspection on the scar. Ken'ichi lowers his head back down after letting Koda see his scar. And yet, as his silver eyes looks at Koda, the sun hitting Ken'ichi's face, he can see that the scar on Ken'ichi's body has gotten more than from his chest to his neck, but it also has reached his right cheek and barely avoiding his right eye.

"Ah, you're awake."

Koda and Ken'ichi turns to the sides to see Kamali padding back toward them. "Are you guys ready?"

Koda smiles, "I sure am!" He turns and looks at Ken'ichi with a smile. Ken'ichi looks at that smile and remembers the one that Koda gave him in his dream, the same one when he grabbed his paw.

Ken'ichi kept looking at Koda, and for the first time ever since he met Koda, Ken'ichi smiles.

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_Everyone is waiting for the next dream_

_The period outdo the assumptions_

_The future will always come but_

_Right now, it's only this instant___

As they walk, Koda happily hops around and starts walking straight next to Ken'ichi. He pounces him a bit to set him off his thoughts, which is probably set on his family. Ken'ichi shakes away the thoughts and looks at Koda, who's grinning at him, Ken'ichi just looks again forward, but with a more happy look.

_When I look up at the blue sky_

_The wind blows by_

_Probably singing_

_To walk towards the way I feel___

As Koda, Ken'ichi and Kamali walk down a river path, some salmons are seen jumping out of the river. Koda sees this and laughs as he jumps into the water to catch some salmon to eat, Kamali chuckles and decides to join him. But Ken'ichi stays behind to look at his reflection in the water.

_Cheer up_

_Like always_

_The beginning is only about to start_

_When it doesn't go right_

_Just laugh _

_But don't forget_

_Don't give up_

_And something can be seen___

A splash from the water hits his face, which he then finds out to be Koda, was has splashed him. Ken'ichi shakes his head dry and looks at cub, which's giggling and laughing. He gestures Ken'ichi to jump in, he gives a slight grin and decides to jump in. Koda splashes Ken'ichi again as he swims closer to him, Ken'ichi giggles and splashes Koda again. Soon, both of them are splashing each other. Kamali laughs at their antics, until he decides to splash Koda and get into the fun. Koda splashes Kamali and laughs, but his laughter turns into slight drowns as Ken'ichi sends a big splash toward him. Ken'ichi laughs, but then he stops as Kamali splashes him for Koda. Ken'ichi splashes Kamali, and Koda teams up and sends his assaults on Kamali. Kamali laughs and is overwhelmed by the splashes and retreats while laughing. Koda and Ken'ichi laugh their heads off as they decide to give the teen bear a break.

_I adored becoming ten times better_

_Children become adults and_

_Runs light into the world_

_Even that's an old tale now_

Ken'ichi sees a school of salmon swimming up stream, and since he's hungry he swims after them pretty slowly and quietly. He gets close and manages to swipe one in his paws, then carries it to the shallow end and begins eating it. Koda, following Ken'ichi's example, does the same, though his catch is a little smaller than Ken'ichi, but nothing much to mope around. He carries it to the shallow end and eats his salmon alongside Ken'ichi. Ken'ichi didn't mind much, even though of what happened between them in the past, he seems to be…Well…Letting go of his anger.

_A dream should be _

_Something unreachable_

_Just getting a little near_

_Requires lots of feeling and strength_

After eating his salmon, Ken'ichi pads back to the water for a swim around. He swims underwater, seeing the beauty of underwater life with his own eyes. He swims and darts around the underwater area, cooling down from the sun's warmth. He rises out of the water and looks around at Kamali, who's relaxing under the sun, and at Koda, who's catching more fish. He thinks of how these two bears actually care for him, like a small family. He's more intrigued about Kamali though…There's something about it that reminds him of his brother…Like if he's with him all over again.

_Such things like courage_

_Will follow along_

_Being engrossed will overflow it_

_Times when it doesn't go right_

_Are the most important_

_When you notice_

_Tomorrow_

_History will change_

Ken'ichi gets out of the water and shakes his fur dry. After that, he walks over to a meadow nearby and looks at the sky with a cool breeze brushing his fur as if someone's hand is stroking his fur, making him feel better. But from behind, Koda playfully tackles him to the ground and starts fumbling around with him. To bears, this method of playing is called wrestling. They fumble about the ground, rolling on top of each other as they roll down a hill, each one getting the best of each other. As they wrestle, Ken'ichi couldn't help but notice Koda's smile, he's happy to see Ken'ichi actually throwing his anger aside for once and really act like the cub he used to be…Though, Koda wishes Ken'ichi wasn't so strong, as he seems to be giving his best to Ken'ichi, who's seem to be holding back a bit.

_Cheer up_

_Like always_

_The beginning is only about to start_

_Such things like courage_

_Will follow along_

_Being engrossed will overflow it_

_Times when it doesn't go right_

_Are the most important_

_When you notice_

_Tomorrow_

_History will change___

After a while of wrestling, it ends with Ken'ichi pinning Koda to the ground. Koda laughs as he fails to get Ken'ichi off of him while Ken'ichi breathes heavy to get his strength back, but he also starts laughing. After a good laughter, Ken'ichi gets off of Koda and throws himself to the ground next to him.

"Koda…" Ken'ichi says as he stares at the sky. "Thank you."

"For what?" Koda asks.

"For being there for me…"Ken'ichi replies. "Like a friend…" He then adds.

"Anytime…" Koda then says.

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Begin the Try by Shotaro

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* * *

****

I'm so sorry for the long wait! I had a huge writer's block for this fan-fic. I hope this chapter makes up for that, had a long time thinking for this chapter and I finally wrote it.


	8. The trek through the reddish land

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi, Kamali and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Ken'ichi blinks as he stares at what lies in front of him. For the past two days, all he has seen were mountains and mountains and more mountains; it was very surprising for him to see that it all ended so abruptly into what appears to be a wasteland, smoke and geysers rising from the ground and everything looking as reddish as the sunset's glow.

"We're almost there!" Koda announces. "All we have to do is cross this place and we're there!"

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**Chapter 8: The trek through the reddish land**

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"You're kidding, right?" Ken'ichi asks. "Cross through this! It looks like it's ready to crumble into lava!"

Koda giggles. "I doubt that'll happen. Besides, I've been through here hundreds of time, it's pretty stable alright!"

Ken'ichi looks around the place, just smoke and geysers rising from holes on the ground. To us humans, this place is nothing but a geyser field. But to these bears, it is known as the Valley of Fire…

"What's the matter?" Kamali asked the black cub. "Scared?"

Ken'ichi flinches and turns around to face Kamali, his eyes glaring at the teen bear. "No!" He cries. "It's just that I'm concerned about what would happen when we cross the place!"

Kamali chuckles as he pads past Ken'ichi and down into the valley. "Whatever, just don't take a while to look at every direction. You want to get to the Salmon Run already, right?"

Ken'ichi glares and shakes his head at Kamali, feeling a bit offended and an angered at Kamali's response to the cub…

'_And yet so familiar…'_ Ken'ichi thought to himself…

Koda gently nudges Ken'ichi. "C'mon, Ken'ichi! Let's go!" With that, Koda sprints off after Kamali into the valley. Ken'ichi though, stays behind for a bit, looking over at the valley, seeing the geyser smokes rising from the ground, giving the place that reddish look of a wasteland. Not much trees are there, just the geyser's humid smokes and mists, perfect place to get ambushed on…Ken'ichi sighs deeply and pads forward as to not get left behind by Koda and Kamali…

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Ken'ichi looks around at all the Valley of Fire has to offer as "scenery". At first, he thought it was going to be dangerous, where a simple step on the ground would crack and drop you into a lava pit to meet their doom, but now…It doesn't seem so bad.

"How are you doing back there, Ken'ichi?" Kamali asks as he pads ahead of him, glancing back at him as he asks.

"Alright, I guess…" Ken'ichi mutters, loud enough for Kamali to hear.

"Don't worry, we're almost…" Kamali stops as he looks around, stopping suddenly his trek. "Wait…" He sniffs the air, and then looks in each direction. "Where's Koda?"

"Wasn't he ahead of you!" Ken'ichi loudly asks, trying to hide that obvious worried tone in his voice.

"I thought he was behind you!" Kamali comebacks Ken'ichi's comment.

Ken'ichi shakes his head and looks around. With this fog and the geyser's smokes, anything could be hidden all around them and they wouldn't even know it. The smoke also conceals their scent, rendering their sniffing useless. They could try for tracks, but even that could be a tough hunt in this fog. Ken'ichi growls in frustration, this could take a long time. But from behind him, Ken'ichi doesn't notice a shadow rising from behind a fallen tree, glaring eyes staring behind him as the black cub looks around for any signs of Koda. The figure raises his arms, casting a shadow under the cub.

"Hm?" Ken'ichi looks down, taking note at the extra shadow. He turns around, and…

"Roar!" The figure roared as it plunged right at the cub.

"Aaaah!" Ken'ichi screams, stepping back and tumbling down on his back, exposing his chest and stomach to the figure. The figure, still roaring loudly, jumps and lands over Ken'ichi, pinning the cub to the ground. Now, if this would be a predator, a simple strong bite to the neck would be enough for the kill, but instead, the figure just laughed his head off, holding his head up in victory. The figure was none other than Koda, pulling a prank.

"Ha…Ha…Ha…" Ken'ichi breathed heavily, his chest heaving for air as he recovers from the scare.

"Hahahahahahah!" Kamali laughed as he takes in what just happened. "Woo! He got you good, Ken'ichi!"

Koda just continued laughing. "I scared ya! Hahahah! I thought you weren't easy to scare!"

Ken'ichi growled furiously and pushed Koda off of him, sending the cub flying back and unto his back. "What in the world were you thinking!" Ken'ichi shouts out in furious anger. "I could've killed you! Thinking you were a predator!"

Kamali chuckled. "Nah, you were too scared to even react."

Ken'ichi glared at Kamali, growling and snarling, that made Kamali shut his muzzle.

"Aw c'mon, Ken'ichi." Koda begins as he gets back up on all four. "I was only playing. Besides, there aren't any dangerous animals here, there's nothing to be worried about."

Ken'ichi growls. "How would you know! You're just a cub!"

"Hey! At least I'm older than you!" Koda shouts that.

"You're still a cub at heart! How could that count as older than me when you're acting immature!"

"At least I'm not throwing away my cub hood like you!"

"I'm not! I'm just trying to stay alive now that I'm all alone!"

"That's not a good reason!"

"I'll give you a good reason!" Ken'ichi lunges and tackles Koda to the ground. Once again, a fight between these two begins. Kamali blinks at the two cub's attitudes and jumps in. "Hey! Hey!" Kamali calls, separating the two, but not fast enough to prevent Ken'ichi from slashing Koda across the face, really badly. "Fighting each other isn't going to get us to the Salmon Run, now is it?" Kamali looks at Ken'ichi. "So calm down and stop arguing." Kamali then looks at Koda, at the slash wound across his face. "For both of your sakes."

Kamali placed the two cubs down and looks at various directions. He nods and looks at Ken'ichi, "You. Head to that log over there," He starts as he gestures to a log within sight range, "Look around from on top of it and see if you can see any green trees or mountains that could help us in venturing in here."

Ken'ichi growls and does what he is told. He slowly turns and pads to the log Kamali pointed out, mumbling and growling to himself. "Can't believe him…That Koda…" He mumbles. "How can he actually joke around in a way that makes me believe I'm being attacked…Could've killed him if I didn't notice it was him…" He growls and jumps onto the log he was assigned to. "Telling me I threw away my cub hood…Yeah right…Why, I can be much more of a cub than he is! His idea of fun is childish jokes for me. Heh." Ken'ichi blinks, "If only…"

"Then why not prove it?" Ken'ichi blinked as those words hits him from behind, a challenge…He turns around to face Koda…

"Why don't I prove it?" Ken'ichi echoes, glancing at the slash wound he inflicted on Koda's face. "Why should I? Just to prove you wrong?"

"Well…Yeah!" Koda replies. "I know you're not like this. And I'm sorry about your dad, but you shouldn't act like this just because of it."

"You just don't understand how I feel about it…" Ken'ichi coldly replies, returning his gaze forward to resume his duty on finding anything to point them to the right direction. From behind, Koda sighs, looking up at Ken'ichi. "I do know how you feel…"

"That's it!" Ken'ichi growls. "You keep saying the same thing over and over! I know you told me you lost your mother, but I lost more than just her! I lost my father and a brother!" Ken'ichi glares at Koda, feeling those memories coming back, triggering that anger inside of him. "There's a difference there of two! You don't know how horrible I feel…"

"…Well," Koda begins. "I can make you feel better…That's what I've been trying to do ever since we've started this journey together." Koda sighs, and then continues. "You see, at first I didn't know that my mom died. I went to the Salmon Run with Kenai, who I told you about earlier. And when he told me that my mom was dead, I was devastated. I ran away, not knowing what to do, I just wanted to get away from him…"

Ken'ichi slowly turns his head as Koda pauses, hearing the cub sniff as the tears of the past begins to shed once more. "And what made you go back to him?"

"Brotherhood." Koda replies. "I…Just couldn't leave him, so I went back after him. And if I didn't decided when I did, well, I wouldn't be here going to the Salmon Run to see him again."

Ken'ichi stares at Koda, seeing the cub in deep thought as he wonders about how his life would've been like if he would've never went after Kenai. The thought has haunted Koda's dream rarely at times, but when it does, it would always wake him up with that rancid taste in his mouth and felt like throwing up. Ken'ichi sighs as he stares at that look, "I'm sorry for slashing you…"

Koda giggles, rubbing his cheek where the slash wound resides. "It's alright, nothing major, right?"

Koda's giggle and goofy grin manages to raise a slight chuckle from Ken'ichi's chuckle. Though, still remembering his chore, Ken'ichi glances at the distance, blinking a bit as he spots a mountain range barely through a thick mist from all the geysers. Ken'ichi gives a small grin, and hops down the log to Koda. "I can see some mountains this way, if we can conti-" However, a geyser bursts out from the ground inches to the left from the two cubs, startling them and yelping as they stumble back and away from the geyser that suddenly popped close to them. Another geyser pops close to them, making them both yelp out in surprise again, stumbling back and landing flat on their backs on the ground, both of them breathing a bit heavily after those scares with the geysers.

"Ha…Ha…" Koda breathed heavily. "Heheh, scared us, didn't it?"

Ken'ichi's chest was heaving as the cub breathes heavily, but he puts on an 'oh please' look and gets up on all four. He looks around the place as Koda does the same, and suddenly another geyser pops up close to them, not enough to scare them, but enough to gasp and jump back a bit. "I think we should go back to Kamali." Ken'ichi suggests. "The longer I stay here the more I think this place is going to erupt in lava."

Koda nods, agreeing with Ken'ichi and they both head back, keeping an eye out for any geysers that might pop. After those little scares back there, the last thing they need is to be caught in one of them and erupted high up into the sky.

"Hey Ken'ichi, who about when we get to the Salmon Run we'll-"

"Sshh!" Ken'ichi cuts Koda as he suddenly stops and places his paw on Koda's snout, shutting him up.

"Hmmhmmm!" Koda complains, muffled with the paw against his snout.

"Look." Ken'ichi says as he points to the direction they were going. Koda follows his gaze to spot a predator, a sabertooth tiger! It growls as it prowls around, sniffing the ground and looking around with its beautiful pair of green eyes as if looking for somebody…Looking for food.

"What are we going to do?" Koda whispers to Ken'ichi. "Kamali is over there last time I was there."

"I don't know…" Ken'ichi whispers. "Maybe we could go around it, and the-" Suddenly, a paw comes over and presses against Ken'ichi's muzzle, shutting him up, terrifying the cubs. The paw pulls him toward the paw's owner, leaving Koda to look at the attacker. And to his relief, it was Kamali.

"Shh!" Kamali whisper to Koda while holding onto a struggling Ken'ichi in his arms. He looks at him and lets him go unto the ground, letting the cub breath in for a bit. "You trying to give me a heart attack!" Ken'ichi quietly yells at Kamali.

"Quiet." Kamali orders to Ken'ichi. "C'mon, follow me." Kamali glances over at the sabertooth, making sure that it still hasn't noticed the bears. Sighing in relief, Kamali quietly pads to the right while keeping an eye on the sabertooth. "Stay close." Kamali whispers. The cubs follow in closely behind Kamali, taking precautious steps as to not make any noise to attract the tiger. However, a geyser pops up close to Koda, making the young bear gasp loudly and fumble a bit back, accidentally stepping on a twig. Ken'ichi freezes and looks back, seeing Koda nervously grin at his friend as his front right paw is on a dry twig. But things go worse after that, Kamali's ears perk up as he hears a growl from behind him, something stalking toward them. Kamali looks back and gasps. "Run!"

The three bears commence their run as the sabertooth lunges in for the chase, ever so gracefully through the valley as it chases the bears. Ken'ichi closes his eyes as he runs through smokes from the geysers, trying to stay ahead of the sabertooth. Though, running through smokes with his eyes closed costs him dearly as he blindly runs and collides against a log. "Guah!" He grunts as he strikes the log hard, falling on his back with a daze.

"Huh?" Koda's ears perked as he heard Ken'ichi's grunt, he looks back and gasps as he spots a dazed Ken'ichi lying on the ground. "Oh no! Ken'ichi!" Koda cries, buying Kamali's attention and looks back, him too gasping as he sees the scene.

"Koda, keep running!" Kamali commands, he turns and runs back to Ken'ichi's aid, leaving behind Koda to run ahead to safety.

While back on Ken'ichi, he groans as he clutches his head, a major headache surging through his brain after such collision. He sits up while rubbing his head, opening one eye to see the log which he ran into, sort of spotting a dent on the log, maybe he's just seeing things after the collision. He looks back and sees the sabertooth dangerously close…It haunches over and lunges at the cub. Ken'ichi gasps and only screams, knowing he can't scurry out of the way in time. "Aaaaah!"

Luckily, Kamali reaches the scene just in time to tackle the sabertooth, shoving it away from the defenseless cub. Kamali doesn't waste any time after that, he picks up Ken'ichi by the mane and takes off, leaving the sabertooth behind. Breathing from his nose and out of his semi-closed mouth, Kamali tries to pick up speed as he listens at the sabertooth scurrying unto its feet and chasing once again. He runs through geyser smokes to geyser smokes, if he was lucky the smokes could help him in losing the sabertooth, but it just slows down the tiger, at least there's that. Kamali thinks on what to do, but all he can think of is run for his life while carrying Ken'ichi from his mouth. _'This isn't going to work,'_ Kamali thought as he struggles to keep his distance from the tiger while at the same time hold unto a cub in his mouth, _'At this rate the tiger will be on me by the time I figure out how to get out of here and lose it.' _As much as Kamali didn't want to admit, he's dead. _'Not again…'_

Ken'ichi isn't pretty much calm either, he just looks around, trying to spot any way to get out of this mess before he becomes prey to the tiger along with Kamali. However, the thought of being reunited with his family again is pretty tempting, but the thought of becoming a meal to a tiger isn't pretty tempting at all. Suddenly, the running has stopped and Ken'ichi's vision gets blurred as he's swung from left to right, barely able to make out anything in the speed of which he is being swung back and forth. "Why'd you stop!" Ken'ichi asks the bear that's carrying him.

"Just TRYING to keep us alive while finding a way out of here!" Kamali replies rather muffled.

Ken'ichi doesn't reply or anything, he's as scared as Kamali is. Though as if right on cue a few seconds after Kamali's response, Ken'ichi hears some sort of chirp or cry. He looks at where the sound came from and to his surprise, he spots an eagle; a beautiful, majestic bald eagle staring back at him. It cries again and flies off toward a direction, leaving Ken'ichi puzzled of what just happened. It was as if it was trying to tell him something…

'_Oh well,'_ Ken'ichi thought. _'When in doubt, trust your instincts.'_

"Kamali!" Ken'ichi calls as he points the direction he saw the eagle fly off to. "Go that way!"

"What for!" Kamali asks.

"Just trust me!"

Kamali nods and heads off to where Ken'ichi pointed to, putting his trust on the cub. The sabertooth however, just kept hot on their trail, refusing to give up on its prey, eager to eat dinner. Ken'ichi spots up ahead a cliff, and hates himself for trusting his instincts on following the eagle, but he feels relieved as he spots Koda on the other side, hoping that the cub has a plan on crossing to the other side.

"Kamali! Ken'ichi!" Koda cries and points to a log to his left. "Over there!"

Kamali nods and lunges to his right, trotting over to the log and begins crossing it. But, running on a log suspended over a 200 foot drop into a river can be hazardous, as Kamali proves it by loosing his footing and almost fell, but he regains his composure and balance, avoiding the drop to certain doom.

"Careful..." Ken'ichi almost silently whispers as he looks down at the small river below.

Kamali slowly starts for the safe ground where Koda is, but at this rate, the tiger would catch them before he makes it to the other side. As boldly as he is, Kamali makes a run for it, loosing his footing and, to avoid falling, jumps off the log in direction to safe ground. Unfortunately, Kamali's jump comes off short; and noticing this, he rears his head back and throws Ken'ichi unto safe ground. But luck is watching out for Kamali, his jump was good enough for him to at least cling unto the cliff's edge, he was thankful at least for that. He pulls himself up, panting heavily as his heart pounds hard against his chest after such a scare, he looks over to Ken'ichi to see him alright, Koda too. The three bears suddenly freeze in place as they hear the sabertooth's growl and snarls, and as they turn around they spot it growling at them from the other side of the log. However, the tiger just turns around and trots off, leaving the three bears safe and free. The three of them sighs in relief, another danger avoided…

"That was a close one…" Kamali says with a sigh as he gets up on all four and continues padding the way to the Salmon Run.

"I'd never want to end up in his belly." Ken'ichi mentions as he looks back at the Valley of Fire and swat at the air, motioning the place.

"You almost did." Koda replies with a smirk.

"Yeah well, you would too if you'd run into a log head first."

"Heheh," Koda giggled. "He would lick me for taste and spit out in disgust."

"Apparently." Ken'ichi remarks as he gets up on all four and follows Kamali.

"Hey!" Koda cries out as he runs to catch up with Ken'ichi. "What's that suppose to mean!"

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Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I've been working on some other stuff I wanted to finish first, but now I'm concentrating on this fanfic! R&R please!

See ya next chapter!


	9. The last stretch of the road

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi, Kamali and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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Birds are happily chirping on their tree branches as they work on their nests and scavenging for food. On the ground, rabbits and chipmunks are scurrying about, taking in the sights of their home and making friends. The soft wind blows and the leaves rustle in it, several leaves are severed from their connection to their branches and softly drop to the ground in the wind's mercy.

"We're almost there!" Koda happily declares as he comes to a stop at the top of a hill, looking his happiest. "It's not too far!"

Ken'ichi approaches from behind Koda, and left astounded by the view. "Whoa…" He whispered… "Check it out…"

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**Chapter 9: The last stretch of the road**

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The view was beautiful; the distance was painted with splashes of green all over, the majestic mountains in the distance with the clouds crowning them, lines and scribbles of blue are visible on the ground, the rivers…If there were any other views much more than this one to see, Ken'ichi would have a hard time finding it.

"What did I tell ya!" Koda proudly announces as he puffs out his chest and points to the rivers in the distance. "See those? The Salmon Run is not too far from those!"

Kamali approaches from behind as the cubs look over at the distance in front of them. Indeed, the Salmon Run is not too far now, an hour walk or two would easily get them there. It seems as if their journey has just started, everything happened so vividly and memorable, it was a journey that they'll keep remembering forever. Ken'ichi stared at the view, amazed at the beauty the forest actually is. Granted, he has lived his whole life on a mountain, but never has he seen such a view, he was never allowed to get to the cliffs or edges of the mountain to look at the view, seeing that his parents were very protective to prohibit getting close to such places.

"Well," Kamali begins, breaking the silence. "We better get going, eh?"

Koda nods. "Yeah! Let's go!"

The two bears begin their descent down the hill to resume their way, but Ken'ichi stays behind and resumes looking at the view. It was at this point a lot of questions begin to drive into Ken'ichi's mind. What will they do when they arrive to the Salmon Run? Will they all go their separate ways from there? And if so, what will he do? What would become of him now that he doesn't have a family alive to go to? Ken'ichi sighs, looking up at the blue sky as he descends down the hill to catch up with his the others. He has really gone a long way from when he first met Koda, at first he was angry and cold-hearted at the cub for his father's demise, believing that if Koda wouldn't have ran into their direction, his father would still be here. But slowly, Ken'ichi has released that anger as time went on with the cub, warming up and getting along with him…But, the idea of parting ways with them, it makes him feel sad, the idea of being alone after all of this is all over…Back up to that mountain that used to be his home…Alone in that cold place…

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"So…When we get to the Salmon Run…" Koda begins as they continue their way to the Run. "How about we all catch some salmons together along with my big brother, Kenai?"

Kamali chuckles. "Well…I would love to, but as soon as I get to the Salmon Run I have to get going along my own way."

Koda looks at Kamali and grins. "Oh really? What?"

Kamali looks at Koda. "Well, I've been heading to the Salmon Run before I met you two." He pauses as he looks up at the sky, "My mom and dad live over there, and I want to pay them a visit before I have to go on with my life."

Koda giggles. "Sounds like we're all going to have fun over there, huh!"

Kamali chuckles and grins at Koda. "Sounds like a plan!"

A bit behind of Koda and Kamali, Ken'ichi pads silently and eyeing the two bears in front him, seeming to be drawing a mental picture of them both. After all, the simple view of the Salmon Run would mean all three of them going their separate ways; indeed, their journey is coming to a close…

"Hm…" Ken'ichi hums as he thinks on what to do after they get there. He expects for all three of them to go their separate ways, but what for an orphaned cub to do…Find a cave to live by himself? Maybe see if someone wants to take him in? A lot of things are nagging at the cub's mind, and all of them without an answer…

Ken'ichi sighs; he clearly doesn't know what to do…He looks up at the sky, wondering if the answer will drop on him like a raindrop from the sky…And looking…And looking…And looking…

**_SNAP!_**

"Hu-Whooooaaaaaaa! Oof! Guh! Guorgh!" Apparently, his lack of vision to the road ahead of him has led him into a trap…

"Huh?" Koda blinks as he hears Ken'ichi, turning around and practically break into a laughing fit, watching Ken'ichi slam unto the ground and up into the sky, dangling onto a rope tied around his hind left leg, the cub has walked into a bear trap. Kamali can't help but chuckle, after this entire little predicament is very well comical as it is sad.

"Heheheheh! Walked into a trap, Ken'ichi?" Koda giggles, barely holding back the laughter.

"Hah-Hah-Hah." Ken'ichi mocks a laugh, glaring at Koda. "Glad you find this amusing! A little help in getting down!"

Koda giggles. "Well, I don't know, that trap is pretty complicated for us bears to help another one out." Koda glances at Kamali, already spotting the teen bear playing along.

"Oh yeah," Kamali continues. "We don't have the first clue in getting you free from that."

"Huh!" Ken'ichi retaliates, raising an eyebrow at the bears in front of him, oblivious to the little prank they're pulling on him. "What are you two talking about! You just loosen that thing over there and I'll be free!" He instructs as he points at a wood plank etched in the ground with the trap's rope tied around it.

"Hmmm…" Koda hums, looking as if thinking. "This is a tough one…What do you think, Kamali?" He continues, glancing over at Kamali.

The teen bear couldn't help but grin, he was enjoying this! "Heheh! Seems like you're stuck there, lil'bear!"

Ken'ichi twitches as he glares at Kamali, unable to handle being called 'lil'bear'. "Lil…Bear…!" He growls, but soon shakes off the anger and stares at Koda and Kamali. "Well, how do you think are you going to get me down from here!"

Koda giggles, looking up at the trap as if examining it. "Well…The only way of escape is…" He looks at Ken'ichi and grins. "To chew your foot off!"

Ken'ichi blinks as he stares at the grinning Koda. "Chew…My foot off?" Ken'ichi echoed. "Um…I don't think that's going to happen…"

Koda giggled. "OK then, have it your way. Seems like you're stuck up there for a loooooong time."

Ken'ichi growls. "Alright! Enough! I know you two can get me out easily! So stop toying around and get me down!" Ken'ichi continues to growl, clutching his head with both his paws as the blood is rushing to his head, a headache forming on his forehead.

Koda laughed. "Hahahahaha! Alright, just keep your fur on." He pads toward the wood plank and looks at it, giggling how humans can make such simple traps. And with one kick with his front paw, the wood plank is kicked out of the ground and releasing the hold of the trap. Ken'ichi's eyes widen as he feels the pull of the trap, he forgot to hold onto something…

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"Where's Koda where you need him…" Kenai absently asks himself after a sigh, padding through the forests and mountains. Kenai has the right to ask that, he's been padding around for three days now and he still can't find the right way to the Salmon Run. He already passed the Valley of Fire yesterday, but where he went after that a year ago has left him puzzled. If Koda was with him, he would've been there at the Run by now.

Kenai sighs, "Koda…I hope you're doing alright…"

It's been a pretty tough road for Kenai ever since he was separated by Koda back at the mountain. He was chased by that hunter all the way down the mountain, he fell in a river and there he lost the hunter. It's been smooth sailing after that, the content sun and gentle moon to light his way through day and night, making his journey a bit more pleasant. Although, Kenai had his share of bad luck too. He was chased by a sabretooth tiger; he angered a couple of squirrels by almost stepping on them when munching on some berry bushes, which got them to throw their acorns at Kenai. In the Valley of Fire, Kenai got a bit lost in the reddish land, and about three times nearly jumping out of his fur, bumping into scary looking things and from the smokes rising from the geysers underground. Thankfully however, he made it out of the valley in one piece, excited about arriving at the Salmon Run, catch a few salmons and chill until his little brother arrives. But now…He's so lost he can't tell from which direction he came from, and he hates himself for at least not leave any marks to lead him back from where he came.

"Let's see…" He stops, standing up on his hind legs and looking around, trying to find any familiar that could point him to the right direction. "Where to go…" He asks himself as he looks around, not recognizing anything in his surroundings, all around him are nothing but green trees, a mix of green and brown in the ground, bushes and tree roots riddling the soil as little squirrels and birds fly about in their home land, the clear blue sky riddled with clouds both white and light-gray, mountains painted in the distance with their white tips kissing the sky. It is all very beautiful, but nothing of the sort to remind Kenai the way to the Salmon Run. He sighs in defeat, dropping back on all four. "This is hopeless…I'm better off as a human than a bear…" He slowly pads to a direction he randomly chose, his mind busy with everything that has happened ever since he became a bear. "Everything I've done to solve our problems has been pretty much by my human knowledge…" He told himself, mentally kicking himself. "Koda was the one helping me out with being a bear…And it doesn't seem like it's working at all…I can't do anything right about being a bear…I can't even find the Salmon Run…"

Kenai stops, thinking about his little brother Koda…It's a bit hard to believe, but it has been a year since Kenai took Koda in under his care and learned the meaning of love and brotherhood through the eyes of a bear. Kenai chuckles to himself as he remembers what a pain Koda was when he first met him, the little cub couldn't stop talking and telling stories, he remembers how he shoved Koda into a tree trunk as he started singing On My Way, he also remembers the pain and anguish he felt in his heart when he told Koda about her mom's fate…And after those days, the day after his ceremony at the human village where he got his mark on the wall, he thought his days of luxury as a bear would begin, but he never expected being a bear would be like this, it's tough…And somewhat a fun challenge…Yeah, a fun challenge! Like Koda tried to convince him to think of it!

"Fun…" Kenai whispers, thinking of Koda all of a sudden and remembering everything the cub had tried to teach him about being a bear…All the bare essentials, the techniques…

"_Now, if the smell is cold and fresh, it's a river. Warm and salty, it's just not sweet to drink. I learned that the hard way when traveling with my mom once, and it tasted nasty! Heheheheh!"_

Those words from Koda stayed with him, and he remembers them well. Kenai looks down at his totem dangling around his neck, the bear carving looking up at him as Kenai lifts it up to look at it. "If it smells cold and fresh, it's a river…" Kenai recaps Koda's advice. "Hm…I'll give it a shot…" Kenai looks up at the air, closes his eyes and begin sniffing the air; hundreds of different scents begin to flow through his nostrils. He frowns, not liking the results of what he's receiving, but he expected it wouldn't be that easy. He tries again, once again the same scents flows in. He sniffs again, this time distinguishing and identifying each scent…Leaves…Berries…Squirrels…Birds…Water!

"Yes…" Kenai whispers, locking into the scent of water…The scent smells cold and fresh…Double yes!

"Where to then…" Kenai whispers, sniffing to pinpoint exactly where the scent is coming from…He veers his head slowly from left to right repeatedly, trying to find that spot. "C'mon…I'm so close…" He continues to sniff, staying calm and concentrating on the scent. He takes a step forward, takes another sniff and takes another step…And it was after these few steps the scent began to grow stronger…He found the way…

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"…Uuuuugh…" Ken'ichi moarns as he lies flat on the ground on his belly, both paws clutching his stomach.

Koda could only chuckle. "C'mon Ken'ichi, it doesn't hurt that much."

Ken'ichi growls, looking at Koda with a glare. "You…Try having a tree branch…Land on your stomach…"

Kamali just laughs on the inside as he watches both of these cubs, reminding him of his hold cubhood days. _'Those were the days…'_ Kamali thought to himself as he watches Koda helping Ken'ichi up after his laughing session. _'Too bad that part of my life is over now…'_

"Heheheh, sorry Ken'ichi," Koda apologizes with a chuckle. "It was just too funny to keep a straight face."

"Ha-ha-ha…" Ken'ichi mocks a laugh. "Well it wasn't for me..."

"Heheheh! C'mon you two, knock it off." Kamali chuckles as he goes to turn around. "If we continue now without stopping we should reach the Salmon Run before nigh-" Kamali is cut short as his nose picks up a scent…Nothing of nature nor animals, that's for sure…

"What's wrong?" Koda asks, confused and concerned about Kamali stopping his saying for a smell.

"Don't move…" Kamali whispers, sniffing at the air. "I smell something…"

Ken'ichi blinks, scanning his surroundings, not spotting anything but trees, bushes and wildlife. He closes his eyes, listening to his surroundings…Nothing yet…There! Footsteps, about a second apart…It couldn't be…Ken'ichi sniffs the air, catching the scent…And as if by reflex, his eyes shoot wide open with a gasp, recognizing the scent anywhere. "Hunter…" He whispers.

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Kenai slowly pads to the direction his sense of smell pointed him to, zig zagging every so often every time he takes a sniff of the air and tracking the scent of the water down. "Harder than I thought…" He whispers to himself, having difficulty in trying to find the way. Koda makes it look so easy, of course he expected Koda to have an easier time on this type of tracking. Kenai has mastered how to track food, shelter, and other bears, but he has never completely mastered tracking water, he always lets Koda do that job. Though, now that he's alone, he really wishes he would've mastered it right about now.

"Such a bear I've become…" Kenai whispers, starting to lose hope of finding the Salmon Run. He takes another sniff of the air, smelling the scent of the water a bit stronger now. He smiles a bit as he sniffs again and stands on his hind legs, looking around to see if he could spot the Salmon Run.

"Nothing…"

He takes another sniff and another step forward, barely keeping himself balanced on his hind legs. He takes another step forward, but it was a mistake…His hind leg stomped onto a few pebbles and rolled from under his feet. "Whoa!" Kenai yelps as his balance is thrown completely off and he falls forward, landing onto the steep hill lying in front of him and the bear begins to roll down the mountain. "Ow! Ugh! Gah!" He groans and grunts as every roll brings pain to his back and head, the bear wishing the roll would stop already. And as on cue, his wish is answered in the form of water.

_SPLASH!_

"Guah! Aaagh!" Kenai gasps as he surfaces from the water, panting as he recovers from that long roll down the hill.

"Yo, Kenai! You OK?" A deep, male voice calls out to him.

"Huh?" Kenai looks around, and when he sets his gaze forward he spots the huge bear who called out to him. That funny, lovable, giant black grizzly we all know as…

"Tug!" Kenai calls out.

Kenai has found his way to the Salmon Run…

---------------------------------------------------

"Where is he?" Koda whispers, sniffing the air to pinpoint the hunter's location.

"I'm trying to find him…" Kamali whispers back, sniffing the air and glancing at every direction he can watch to try to spot the stalking hunter. Ken'ichi looked around, keeping his ears prickled up and ready to catch any sounds of the hunter, anything that could give away his location.

"I don't see him…" Koda whispers, his heart beginning to race as he begins to worry about this hunter.

"That doesn't mean he's not there…" Ken'ichi replies, already feeling uncomfortable by their situation.

Kamali's ears perks up, a twig just snapped. "That's it. Run!" Kamali orders, but as soon as he barked out that order a spear comes flying and thrusts into the ground between the group and making the three bears cry out in surprise. But these bears know better than to stay put and look at their attacker, they run for it as soon as they hear the running footsteps of the hunter.

The three bears continue their run, desperate to get away from their attacker and not wanting to resort to any violence, but no matter how hard and fast they run, they can still hear the hunter behind them. Ken'ichi looks over his shoulder, the hunter has a bow in his hand and reaching behind his back for an arrow, a devastating weapon combination for a bear, and if struck at the right spot it could kill a bear on one shot.

Ken'ichi gasps. "Guys! Heads up!"

An arrow comes flying and strikes the ground, barely missing Koda. The cub cries out in surprise, jumping as that arrow almost missed his paw, but the cub just pushed his fears aside and continues to run, his heart racing. "C'mon! He's gaining!" Kamali cries out to Koda and Ken'ichi, the teen bear running ahead and zig zagging around trees, arrows flying over their heads one by one and hitting trees, the ground and air. The bears continue running, down a hill and through some bushes, but this hunter is pretty persistent, he just keeps following and won't give up on them.

"C'mon! Hurry!" Kamali cries to the two cubs behind him, but he comes to a skidding stop, and from behind Koda and Ken'ichi come crashing unto Kamali, making the bear yelp as all three of them crash in a little hill of huddled up bear, they are trapped by a mountain wall in front of them, to the side nothing more than more mountain walls. Koda shakes his head, looks over his shoulder and gasps; the hunter is gaining fast, holding his spear in both hands. Trapped…

"Oh no…" Koda whispers.

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The conclusion to this story is almost here!


	10. The end of the road

**Disclaimer**: Disney owns Kenai, Koda and everyone else in the movie. I only own Ken'ichi, Kamali and the list of characters in my ff profile.

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The three bears are pinned against a mountain wall, no way of climbing up to safety, the only thing standing between them and freedom is the hunter slowly stalking toward them, spear ready in hand.

"Get away!" Koda growls, stepping back as the hunter gets closer. Ken'ichi stands his ground, growling furiously at the hunter, but right before he would even think of charging for an attack, Kamali places one of his forepaws in front of Ken'ichi, stopping him from getting closer to the hunter and for protection.

"I'm gonna try to distract him, as I'm doing that you two run for cover!"

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**Chapter 10: The end of the road**

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Kamali growls at the hunter, who is slowly approaching ever so close to them. Koda and Ken'ichi watch, waiting for that moment that Kamali told them to wait. It seemed like forever, but when the hunter went for the attack, Kamali jumps out of the way and bites into the hunter's spear, trashing his head to yank it from his hands, but the hunter won't let go of it as he holds it with both hands.

'_Now!'_  
Koda's body took over and he goes into a mad dash past Kamali and the hunter, it took Ken'ichi by surprise but in an instant he follows Koda's example and runs for it, leaving Kamali behind to deal with the hunter.

'_Good…'_ Kamali thought, closing his eyes as he still holds on to the spear. _'They're gone…Now I can go…In peace…'_

The hunter struggles to free his spear from the bear's mouth, but the grip is too strong for the human to pull the spear free; instead the human holds on to the spear with one hand as he reaches over to the knife that lies in its holster around his waist, his intentions on hurting Kamali with it.

But the bear isn't a fool; he spots the tactic and releases his bite on the spear, suddenly jumping back for space between him and the hunter. The hunter stalks forward, anger deeply evident on his face as he gets closer for the attack. He swings his spear, the bear ducks and avoids the attack. Another swing of the spear leaves the bear jumping and avoiding another attempt from the human. But Kamali is finding himself with much more of a challenge in dodging the attacks, as the hunter is closing the distance with each swing of its long spear, it'll be a few seconds before his dodging space would run out and it'll be the end of him.

'_That doesn't matter…'_ Kamali talks to himself as he dodges another spear, already feeling his little tail touching the mountain wall. _'At least they're safe…Now I can leave…My purpose complete…'_

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Koda and Ken'ichi were both silent as they flee from the hunter, their minds tracing back to Kamali, worried about their teen bear friend. Will he be alright? Would he survive or end up dead? Neither one of them wants to believe that he'll die, but the odds are pretty much against Kamali now.

"Ken'ichi…" Koda whispers, slowing down his run into a walk until he comes to a complete stop.

"What is it!" Ken'ichi cries as he keeps running, looking over his shoulder and stopping. "We can't stop! For all we know that hunter could be following us!"

Koda shakes his head. "No…He's not, but…I…"

"What? Worried about Kamali?"

Koda nods. "I just don't feel right leaving him behind with the hunter! Like I told you before, I lost my mom to a hunter!" Koda sharply closes his eyes, remembering that day when Kenai told him the awful truth. "I…" He opens his eyes, looking straight into Ken'ichi's. "I don't want to face that again if Kamali dies!"

Ken'ichi opens his mouth to talk, but nothing comes out, he closes his snout and scratches his mane, glaring at nothing as he reflects on Koda's words. He almost forgot that they both hold something in common; they've both lost someone near and dear to them. "Yeah well, the idea of having him die isn't so appealing to me either." He finally responds. "Well, let's do something about it then!"

Koda blinks, noticing a grin in Ken'ichi's face, he shakes his head and get closer to the black cub. "Are you serious! The both of us going back, face that hunter and try to save him!"

Ken'ichi shrugs. "Why not?"

Koda giggles, grinning at Ken'ichi. "I thought you'd never asked."

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"Koda…I hope you're alright…"

'_Some brother I have become…' _Kenai thinks to himself as he sits on the shallow part of the river, staring up at the blue sky. The bear is getting impatient, it hasn't been long since he has arrived to the Salmon Run, but three days should've been enough for Koda to arrive already, especially since the cub knows the way better than him!

"Koda…Where are you?"

"Yo! Kenai!" Tug calls out from behind him, the massive bear towering over Kenai as he drops a salmon next to him. "Eat up! You haven't eaten anything ever since you got here!"

"Hm? Oh, thanks…" Kenai weakly responds, looking down at the salmon and picking it up, toying with it in his paws, his mind busy with worry about Koda.

"What's wrong, Kenai? You look way down in the dumps!" Tug expresses, chuckling as the he sits next to Kenai. "Still no sign of Koda?"

"No…" Kenai sighs, poking at the salmon with his claws. "The poor cub…All alone somewhere, probably scared to death…Chased by tigers or even hunters…" He sighs again, putting the salmon away and looking down at his reflection in the shallow water, staring at the totem around his neck. "Some brother I turned out to be…"

Tug blinks, scratching at his mane. "That doesn't sound like the Kenai I know." Kenai raises his head and looks up at Tug. "I mean, c'mon, you know Koda better then that!" Tug continues, grinning down at his smaller friend. "He's almost an adult; he can take care of himself. I should know!" He finishes with a laugh, a laugh that also sucks Kenai in, laughing as well.

"I guess you're right." Kenai smiles, his confident of his little brother's survival skills returning. "He's a strong little cub, he'll be alright."

"Of course he will!" Tug assures, giving off a slight chuckle after and slapping Kenai's back gently. "Now eat up! You want to be at your best when he arrives, don't you?"

Kenai laughs. "Yeah, you're right." He picks the salmon up with a smile, looking up at Tug. "Thanks…"

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'_Spear me all you want…'_ Kamali mentally cried, backed up against the mountain wall and facing the hunter. _'I have served my purpose this time…Go ahead and send me back…'_

The hunter is now deadly close, rearing back his spear getting ready for the kill. Kamali could only watch without fear as he willingly faces what is coming to him now, watching as the hunter's spear is reared back, and then, in a few seconds the spear comes down. Kamali just stays staring at the hunter, ready for the inevitable…Then…

"Roar!" A roar breaks out from nowhere, making the hunter flinch and stop his attack. Then the next thing Kamali sees is a black blur zooming in and tackling the hunter off his feet and unto the ground.

"Wha?" Kamali mutters dumbfounded, staring at the black thing that just saved his life and changing his plans entirely. "Ke…Ken'ichi?"

Ken'ichi stands there, bold and brave as he stares at the hunter that he just tackled down. "That's for sneaking up on us!" The black cub grins; proud of what he had done, feeling like he has just gotten revenge for what the humans have done to him, for taking his family.

"C'mon Kamali!"

Kamali blinks, that was Koda's voice. "Koda?" He questions, slowly turning his head to spot Koda standing there motioning his head. "What are you two doing here! I thought I told you to run!"

Koda shakes his head. "Not without you!"

Kamali growls, he is working with two cubs who practically doesn't follow any orders or rules, do stuff they see in their eyes what's correct, helping others regardless their own danger. It will be their undoing someday, but for now, they saved another's life.  
'_No no no! That wasn't part of our plan!_' Kamali thinks, shaking his head. _'So close to the Salmon Run too!'_

"You two need to go! Now!" He growls, trotting over to Ken'ichi and grabbing the cub by the mane, then changing direction and chases after Koda, forcing the cub to turn around and flee or get run over by the teen bear. "Just run!"

Koda didn't need to be told twice, he doesn't even need to hear it again, being chased by a bear just keep him running and a hunter who wants to kill him is enough a reason to run. Koda looks over his shoulder, managing to catch the hunter chasing them from behind Kamali, this giving him more of a reason to run for it or either get killed or trampled. Ken'ichi isn't calm either, in fact, he's sort of angry. When he tackled the hunter down, when he looked directly in his eyes, he could sense the hunter's desires, could practically read his mind. He wanted to kill them, for sport or desires, whatever the reason is. Ken'ichi's mind suddenly went into a flashback reel, the painful images of seeing his mother and brother dead, the sudden reminder of how he witnessed his father fall down that cliff, the aftermath ending in his death. The cub clutches his head, the painful memories zapping through his mind…

"_Father!"_

"_Mom, where are you going at this hour?"_

"_Come home soon…"_

"_Not that way, Ken'ichi."_

"_Mom!"_

"_Maybe this trip was for nothing…"_

"_You don't know how I feel!"_

"_Please no! Come with me!"_

"_Dad, but why?"_

"_Bro, I'm scared!"_

"_Mom…Why…"_

"_No…Not you too…"_

"_Dad…Don't go…"_

"_I lost him…Like I lost her…"_

"_I don't want you to end like them!"_

"_It's all my fault…"_

"_I don't wanna lose you…"_

"_No…Kamali no…"_

Ken'ichi's eyes shoot open, a threatening growl escaping his lips.

"Hm?" Kamali mutters, setting his eyes down at Ken'ichi. "Ken'ichi?"

"Whoa! Oof!"

"Huh-Waaah!"

"Whoa!"

The bears haven't been paying attention much to the road, stumbling on a tree root sticking out of the ground and rolling down a hill.

"Gaah!" Koda cries as he smacks right on a tree.

"Aaagh!" Kamali wails as his body slams right on a huge boulder.

"Guuh!" Ken'ichi just drops onto the ground, dropping from Kamali's jaws at least kept him airborne to land on the ground rather than smacking against something.

"Ow…" Kamali mutters, slowly getting up and clutching where the boulder struck. "Ow ow ow!" He yelps, clutching the bruise with both paws.

Koda however, was the more winded out, he must've tripped with low breath and the slam unto the tree knocked whatever breath he had in him, leaving him dazed.

"Koda?" Ken'ichi mutters, a bit dazed from the drop himself. "You OK?" his vision was a blur, that type of drop can be such a daze for a cub as young as him. He shakes his head and adjusts his vision, and what he sees next forces a gasp from the cub…

The hunter makes it; setting his eyes unto the closest bear he has…Koda!

"Oh no…" Ken'ichi mutters.

The hunter, who lost his spear thanks to Ken'ichi's tackle, draws out his knife, stalking over to the stunned Koda, ready for the kill.

"Koda…Watch…" Ken'ichi chokes; the scene is reminding him so much of his father's last moments that it chokes the voice out of him. He glances over at Kamali, but the bear is still struggling to get up from the aching bruise he must've suffered from his collision to the boulder.

The hunter is now dangerously close, slowly raising his knife and readying to end a bear's life. The shadow looming over Koda rids of his daze, lifting his head and seeing the hunter towering over him, knife raised and ready for the kill. "No…" Koda mutters, his hope of meeting with Kenai again lost. He closes his eyes, ready for the end…

"Hold it right there! Stop!"

Koda was braced for the worse, but the blow never came. He opens his eyes, seeing the hunter nowhere in sight. He looks around and spots Ken'ichi, on top of the hunter struggling with him. "Ken'ichi!" Koda cries, slowly standing up.

"Ken'ichi, no!" Kamali cries, already on all four but still in a bit of pain. "Get away!"

But the cub is already too far into the struggle with the hunter, but a mistake he comes to regret. The hunter still has a grip on his knife, but Ken'ichi has a bit of a strong grip on his bite on the hunter's arm. The hunter grabs the knife with his other hand, rears it back…

"Gaaah!" Ken'ichi's eyes widen, any cries of pain he was going to cry out has been choked out by the pain he has been inflicted on.

"No! Ken'ichi!" Koda cries, his eyes widen at what he's staring at. The hunter just…Just stabbed him…Stabbed him right on his side…Practically shattering his ribs with the force…

"No…No!" Kamali shouts, unable to believe what he's seeing.  
'_I failed…'_

The hunter simply just pushes Ken'ichi off after slamming the knife right into his side, getting up and looking down at what he has done. Koda however is getting angry, his claws sinking into the ground, seeing what he has done to his friend just pushed out the raging ball of brown fur. "You…You…ROAR!" He charges with a deafening roar! The hunter turns around and gasps in surprise, the human is weaponless. A strong, good tackle from Koda was all that was needed to send the hunter against a tree, but when the hunter wobbly got up and get away, Koda just charged again and smacked right onto the hunter again, the human rolls down a hill and falls unto some rocks, smacking his head and drops limp, the smack rendered the hunter unconscious.

"Grrr…" Koda growls, looking down the hill at the hunter, there's no danger emitting from him for now.

"Ken'ichi…"

Koda suddenly springs back to his senses, turning around and running back to his fallen friend. Kamali is already there looking after him, the look of anguish on his face. "Ken'ichi…" Koda whispers as he nuzzles his wounded friend. He looks over Ken'ichi's condition, the poor cub is suffering massive pain, evident on the force he's putting on clutching the ground with his claws, grimacing and growling in pain.

"I'm…Not gonna make it…Aren't I?" Ken'ichi says, managing to say something.

"Don't talk like that…" Koda softly speaks. "We're almost there! If you could get on Kamali's back, we can find help and you'll be OK!"

Ken'ichi growls, sinking his claws again into the ground from that pain they know he's feeling. "No…You better go ahead without me…"

Koda blinks, slowly shaking his head. "No…No!" Tears are now forming in Koda's eyes, though he's trying his best not to cry. "I can't leave you behind! We've been through so much and we're almost there! I just can't!"

"And what do you expect me to do!" Ken'ichi growls, the cub is wounded, but not enough to keep him from shouting, though that costs him as he winces again. "Guh! Uugh…Look…You have someone to go to at the Salmon Run…While I…I got nothing…Better off you go…"

Koda shakes his head. "But I…I don't want to leave you behind…"

But Ken'ichi didn't answer, his eyes just close. Kamali shakes his head, bowing his head. "…Ken'ichi…"

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It didn't take long for them to leave the scene; it was a hard thing to do as it was admitting the fact that no matter what they could do, Ken'ichi is going to die.

Koda was silent during the remainder of the journey, not bothering to say anything as his mind is still back with Ken'ichi, recapping everything they went through in their journey before a hunter's knife ended it all.

"We're here…" Kamali expresses, standing on top of a small hill. Koda emerges from behind, his face suddenly sporting a grin from ear to ear, joy filling his spirit as he watches over a large river area, bears running about catching the abundant numbers of salmon swimming around the river, a paradise for bears. During his scan around the area, he spots the bear he's looking for…

"Kenai!" Koda cries out, immediately running down the hill to meet up with his big brother. "Kenai! Kenai!" Koda cries out even louder, running and splashing through the river as he closes in quickly to his big brother.

"Huh! Koda!" Kenai questions, immediately stopping his fishing spree and then turning around to spot his little brother, racing toward him. "Hahah! Koda!" He happily cries, also running to his brother. Koda, so happy to see him, pounces on him as soon as the distance between them closes, the pounce sending Kenai down on his back to the shallow water, both of them locked in a great, big bear hug!

"I missed you so much!" Koda cries, hugging his big brother and nuzzling up to him.  
"I missed you too!" Kenai happily expresses. "I thought I would lose you to those hunters…I was so worried!"

"_Hunters"_  
That word triggers the memory of Ken'ichi again, Koda's eyes opening and looking up at the sky. "Ken'ichi…"

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Night has fallen…The sky shining bright with its stars, the Northern Lights dancing on top of the mountain which kissed the sky…A beautiful scene to witness…And that scene is what driving Koda's mind at ease, watching at the Northern Lights dancing in the sky assures him that wherever Ken'ichi is, he's sure he's back with his family…

"Thinking about him, eh?"

Koda jumps, thrown out of his little thought trance, looking behind him to see who the one that has disturbed him is. "Kamali."

Kamali smiles, padding closer and sits down next to Koda. "Don't worry, wherever he is, I'm sure he's no longer in pain."

Koda smiles a bit. "Yeah, I guess…"

"You know…" Kamali starts, scratching at his mane and lying back on his back. "I wouldn't even be surprised if he does survive. I mean, he's done it a lot back in the day."

Koda blinks. Back in the day? Kamali never knew Ken'ichi until two days ago, how can he say such a very meaning thing when he barely knows much of the cub? "What do you mean?"

"Well…" The teen bear continues, staring up at the Northern Lights. "After his mother died he tried to do everything by himself, never asked for help. That attitude sort of resulted in his brother's death, the cub trying to get some food for himself, his brother then teached him on how to find his own food, which didn't do well because they were spotted by hunters. His brother gave his life to save him."

Koda blinks, remaining in deep thought…This doesn't feel right…How can Kamali know this?

Kamali continues. "And well, his life hasn't been so well with his father, but he put up with it. His mother and brother's loss was huge for him, you know. Scarred him for life, and that scar he has really tells a story. He tried saving his brother though, but he got wounded and there he got his scar." He pauses, sitting up to continue the story. "Heh! The little cub hasn't changed!"

Koda shakes his head, groaning as he stands up. "Hold on just a minute! Just one minute!" He cries, stomping around the place as if he owned it, shaking his head and trying to piece this puzzle together. "First of all, I don't remember Ken'ichi telling you about his family's death! He only told me and I'm sure I didn't tell you!" Koda looks up at the sky, then continues. "Second of all, how can you know all of this that has happened to him before you even met him? For that you have to be…" He stammers, slowly turning to Kamali. "You have to be…To be-" Koda chokes as his eyes are set on the most bizarre scene he has ever seen occurred to a bear other than Kenai's transformation.

_Background music: Transformation by The Bulgarian Women's Choir_

Kamali is smiling, a beautiful yellow/orange aura surrounding the bear, his body semi-transparent and his fur…Oh his fur, how it has changed! His fur has gone from a silver color to that of black, his mane, legs and arms a beautiful silver color, and his eyepatch, his right eyepatch just a blotch of white. Koda gasps, looking up as the Northern Lights draw closer to them, a ribbon of light touching Kamali's glowing body.

"You're…You're a…Spirit?" Koda asks, in awe of what he's seeing. Kamali just nods, giving off a familiar smile; Koda has seen that smile from Ken'ichi once. "You're…" Koda smiles a bit, the pieces coming together. "You're his brother…"

The spirit nods, and slowly he disappears into the Northern Lights, particles of light floating up to the lights and disappearing. Koda looks up in awe, what he has just experienced was another miracle of the Northern Lights, the earth's gift…

"_You know…I wouldn't even be surprised if he does survive…"_

Koda gasps, a spirit's words must be true! Eagered, Koda runs to the hill where he and Kamali reached the Salmon Run from, and as soon as he climbed to the top his face turns into a wide smile. "Ken'ichi!"

There, limping toward him is the tough little black bear cub, Ken'ichi. The knife still imbedded on his side, but the cub is still alive and kicking, he really is strong to make it there with a wound like that.

"Aaagh…Heheh…Thought you'd seen the last of me, eh?" Ken'ichi weakly speaks, almost passing out the moment he reaches Koda. But the good hearted cub holds Ken'ichi up, keeping him from dropping and eating dirt.

"I'm so glad you're alive…" He whispered, keeping his friend close in a hug as he closes his eyes. Suddenly, his ears perk up as he catches the sound of something falling to the ground. He opens his eyes and shifts them to the ground, the knife that was hurting Ken'ichi lies there on the ground, and the wound that endangered his friend's life is now healed, particles of light surrounding it. Koda smiles, looking up and seeing the Northern Lights closer than usual. He can feel the warmth of the spirits around him, and for a moment…Just for a moment he felt the warmth of his own mother embracing him, proud of what her son has grown into.

The Northern Lights return back to the sky, back to where they belong. Koda smiles and pulls out of his little hug with Ken'ichi, seeing the cub with a healthy, warm smile on his face. "They're happy." He expresses, giving off a grin.

Koda giggles. "C'mon buddy, let's go to the river!" He helps Ken'ichi in keeping his balance; the cub just suffered a mortal wound and just healing. "There's someone I want you to meet!"

Ken'ichi chuckles. "Oh boy! I get to meet the biggest fat head of the family!" He jokes, laughing.

Koda giggles. "Ha-ha-ha! You better watch it because I'm the healthy one!"

"Heheheh! Alright alright! Just shut your muzzle before I give you a scar to match with mine!" Ken'ichi said, sarcastic of his remark.

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"_**Welcome to our family…"**_

_**THE END**_


End file.
